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John Heath Vaughan, MD

1921-2006


Celebrating the Life of
John Heath Vaughan, M.D.
November 7, 1921 - November 11, 2006

Torrey Pines Christian Church
La Jolla, CA
November 25, 2006

PRELUDE:
SECOND MOVEMENT OF BEETHOVEN'S THIRD PIANO CONCERTO (IN C-MINOR)

WELCOME AND INVOCATION: DR CLAIR BERRY

SCRIPTURE: ECCLESIASTES 3: DR BERRY

A LETTER FROM JOHN: MARJORIE SEYBOLD VAUGHAN

FAURE REQUIEM: SANCTUS

REMEMBERING OUR FATHER: JOHN, NANCY, DAVID, MARGARET

FRIENDS FROM MEDICINE AND ROTARY
DR. DENNIS CARSON: MEDICINE
MARC LANCI: ROTARY
CHRISTINA DE ROCHE: ROTARY SCHOLARS PROGRAM

CELEBRATING OUR FAITH: DR BERRY

JOHN'S CHOICE OF RECESSIONAL MUSIC: MARJORIE S. VAUGHAN
MOZART PIANO CONCERTO NO. 21: SECOND AND THIRD MOVEMENTS

FINAL REMARKS: DR BERRY


The family is very grateful for your presence here today in celebration of John's life. Following the service, you are invited to join the family in the church parlor (the building next door) for refreshments and fellowship.

John Heath Vaughan, M.D., internationally recognized authority on allergy and autoimmune diseases and active La Jolla Rotarian, dedicated to fostering educational opportunities for young students in Tijuana, died November 11, 2006, at his home in La Jolla. He was 85 years old and a La Jolla resident since 1970.

Dr. Vaughan's medical career was devoted to research and teaching in the areas of allergy and the autoimmune diseases. His major research contributions were in elucidating the nature and significance of autoantibodies in autoimmune diseases and their interactions with the complement proteins of the immunologic system. These studies were reported in over 300 scientific articles, book chapters and reviews. . He also served on the editorial boards of four medical journals and was the co-editor of two textbooks: Clinical Immunology and Dermatology in General Medicine.

Dr. Vaughan was born in Richmond Virginia, November 7, 1921, as the third of four sons of Warren T. Vaughan, Jr. and Emma Heath Vaughan. His father and grandfather were both physicians, his father an allergist in Richmond, his grandfather, Victor C. Vaughan, was Dean of the Medical School at the University of Michigan and served as president of the American Medical Association. His three brothers, Victor C Ill, Warren 1. and David D. also became physicians.

He attended Harvard College, graduating cum laude in 1942. He entered Harvard Medical School under the accelerated military program, graduating in 1945, and interned at Harvard's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. He then entered active duty with the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948, serving as a Medical Officer in Anchorage, Alaska, and was discharged as a Captain.

Dr. Vaughan returned to the Brigham Hospital for a two year Research Fellowship in Immunology before completing his medical training in Internal Medicine. Dr. Vaughan continued his training for two years as a Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Elvin Kabat at Columbia University in New York City

In 1953, he accepted an academic appointment at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond where he served as Assistant Professor of Medicine and pursued his studies of complement proteins in autoimmune diseases. It was here that he began studies of rheumatoid arthritis, a life long interest. In 1958 he joined the University of Rochester, NY, as Associate Professor, becoming Professor of Medicine in 1963. He concentrated his attention on rheumatoid arthritis and showed that there was abnormal consumption of autoantibody and complement proteins in that disorder. He moved to La Jolla, California, in 1970 to become the Chairman of the Clinical Divisions at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation. In 1974 he became Chairman of the Department of Clinical Research and Program Director of the General Clinical Research Center at Scripps. He headed the Division of Clinical Immunology at Scripps from 1977 to 1986. His research during that period concentrated on studies in rheumatoid arthritis and the possible role of viral infections as a precipitant of disease in both rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Vaughan joined the faculty at UCSD in 1990 as Professor of Medicine in Residence and retired in 1997.

Dr. Vaughan served as President of the American Academy of Allergy 1966-1967 and President of the American Rheumatism Association (now the American College of Rheumatology) in 1970-1971. He was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, honorary Medical Society, and an honorary member of the Yugoslavian, Brazilian and Mexican Societies of Rheumatology. In 1987 he was named a Master of the American Rheumatism Association and in 1990 received the Gold Medal Award for lifetime achievethent from the American College of Rheumatology.

Dr. Vaughan became an active member of the Rotary Club of La Jolla, California in 1986. He served on the Board of Directors and as Chairman for International Affairs 1989-1991 and as Secretary 1999-2005. He headed Rotary programs in support of primary and secondary education in Tijuana and in Leon, Mexico, including a teacher exchange between San Diego and Leon schools. In 1998, with Henry Branstetter and Christina Deroche, he co-founded the Rotary Youth Scholarship Program in Tijuana. The program, now run as a dual project by the Rotary Club of La Jolla and El Club Rotario de Tijuana, supports and helps to educate promising teenage scholars from poor areas of Tijuana. The program supports 27 scholars, ranging in age from 12 to 17. The first four scholars were graduated from the program in 2006.

In 2003, Dr. Vaughan received the Philanthropy Award from the Foundation for Educational Achievement for his establishment and leadership of the Youth Scholarship Program. He received the first Walter Dewhurst Award as La Jolla Rotarian of the Year in 2005.

Dr. Vaughan is survived by his wife of 23 years, Dr. Marjorie Seybold of La Jolla, four children from his first marriage: John H. Vaughan, Jr. (Carmen) of Washington, DC., Nancy V. O'Neal (John) of Clinton, NY, David H. Vaughan (Susanne) of Yardley, PA, and Dr. Margaret V. Elizondo (Michael) of San Diego, and six grandchildren. Also surviving is his former wife, Dr. Margaret L. Vaughan of La Jolla.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1 PM. November 25, 2006, at the Torrey Pines Christian Church at 8320 La Jolla Scenic Drive, North, La Jolla, CA. Donations are suggested to the La Jolla Rotary Foundation, Youth Scholarship Fund, 7755 Fay Avenue, #D, La Jolla, CA 92037.


John's favorite verses

"I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good
while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all
his toil-this is the gift of God."
Ecclesiastes 3: 12-13. NIV Study Bible

"All 90 to the same place; all come from dust and to dust all return."
Ecclesiastes 3:20. NIV Study Bible

"So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work,
because that is his lot."
Ecclesiastes 3:22. NIV Study Bible

To John from Marjorie.

I love thee with the breath
Smiles, tears, of all my life! And if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

How Do I Love Thee
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 

 

Nancy and John's Christmas Letter, 2006
Nancy and John's Christmas Letter, 2007
Son David's Christmas Letter, 1995
Son David's and Susanne's Christmas Letter, 1999



by Eng M. Tan, MD
The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA

John Vaughan died November 11, 2006 at his home in La Jolla, California. He was 85 years old. He was a distinguished member of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and served as President of the ACR, then known as the American Rheumatism Association, in 1970-1971. He was awarded the ACR Presidential Gold Medal in 1990.

Dr. Vaughan was born in Richmond, Virginia on November 7, 1921, the third of 4 sons of Warren T. Vaughan and Emma Heath Vaughan. His father and grandfather were both physicians; his father was an allergist and author of a textbook on allergy, and his grandfather, Victor C. Vaughan, was Dean of the Medical School at the University of Michigan and served as President of the American Medical Association.

John Vaughan attended Harvard College, graduating cum laude in 1942. He entered Harvard Medical School under the accelerated military program, graduating in 1945, and interned at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. He then entered active duty with the US Army, serving as Medical Officer in Anchorage, Alaska, and was discharged as Captain.

He returned to the Brigham Hospital for a 2-year research fellowship in immunology before completing his medical training in internal medicine. He continued his postdoctoral training as a fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Elvin Kabat, a renowned immunologist at Columbia University in New York City. In 1953, he became Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Virginia and in 1958 joined the University of Rochester (New York) as Associate Professor and later Professor of Medicine and head of the Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology. In 1970, he moved to The Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California, as Chairman of the Clinical Divisions. He joined the faculty of the University of California, San Diego in 1990 and semi-retired in 1997.

Dr. Vaughan was highly recognized for his clinical and basic research into the immunologic aspects of rheumatic diseases, especially the roles of autoantibody and complement in rheumatoid arthritis and the role of infectious agents, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, as a causative factor. He also made a key observation in basic immunology which opened up an important vista of research leading to the identification of cytokines and their function. At the University of Rochester, he described an ingenious method for accurately documenting and quantitating factors secreted by activated immunocytes, showing that sensitized cells upon contact with antigen would inhibit the migration of macrophages (George M, Vaughan JH. In vitro cell migration as a model for delayed hypersensitivity. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1962;111:514-21). This led to the identification of migration inhibitory factor and was one of the early lines of research on factors such as cytokines secreted by immune cells. One of these factors, tumor necrosis factor , now plays a key role in our approach to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Vaughan has mentored numerous students who have made their own important contributions to rheumatology and other fields, including Dr. Joseph D. Croft, President of the ACR in 1999-2000 and Dr. Dennis A. Carson, Director of the Cancer Center, University of California San Diego. Dr. Vaughan had the additional distinction of serving as President of the American Academy of Allergy in 1966-1967.

His 1997 semi-retirement was a pseudo-retirement, since he continued to run a research laboratory and continued mentoring fellows and working with younger faculty. He became active in the Rotary Club of La Jolla, and was appointed a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman for International Affairs. He initiated a Rotary program that promoted and supported primary and secondary education for underprivileged children in the Mexican cities of Tijuana and Leon, and this project is currently operating as a cooperative effort between the Rotary Clubs of La Jolla and Tijuana. In 2003, he received the Philanthropy Award from the Foundation for Educational Achievement and in 2005, the La Jolla Rotarian of the Year Award.

John Vaughan believed that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, and that was how he lived. He had a very fulfilling life and leaves behind a family who loved him very dearly.