I gleaned a fundamental understanding of the world from Dr. Vaughan's views and perspectives, and from his wealth of knowledge. I'll cherish the conversations. I'll cherish the sense of belonging to that community of like-minded people. I'll cherish that unlikely encounter in 1991 that changed the trajectory of my career and put me on a path of professional success. My hope for all of us here is that we aren't running so fast after our own goals and aspirations that we don't recognize when an upstanding, honorable man like Dr. Vaughan crosses our path. It may be that we need to get off the road we're traveling and follow after him. I certainly did - and I am grateful for it.

- R. Reid Hanson, DVM, DACVS, DACVECC

Dr. Vaughan impressed me the first time I met him when he came from Auburn to speak at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. It soon became clear that he was a very gifted surgeon but in a practical, experienced sort of way. He was an articulate, slow speaker with powerful words. Dr. Vaughan became a father figure that I always wanted to please. I fondly recall that he would often say:

'Always follow the pathology' (when following a draining tract, tumor or similar) which required one to know the appearance of normal tissue.

'To be a good surgeon one had to pay attention to iotas.' If you did not know that an iota was the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, he would tell you.

- Donnie E. Slone, DVM, DACVS