R.I.P.: Illus. Deary Vaughn, Sovereign Grand Commander of Prince Hall AASR-SJ

by Christopher Hodapp

The Secretary-General of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United Supreme Council, 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, has officially announced the death this morning of their longtime Sovereign Grand Commander, Illus. Deary Vaughn, 33°. 

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From: The Office of the Secretary-General, H∴E∴, Ill∴ Marvin D. Chambers, 33°

To: Supreme Council Officers, Actives and Emeriti, Grand Inspectors General, Sublime Princes, Loyal Ladies and Staff

It has come to my attention that the Grim Reaper has again invaded our ranks, removing from us our beloved Sovereign Grand Commander.
It is with great sadness that I officially notify you of the passing of Illustrious Dr. Deary Vaughn, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.

Illustrious Vaughn served the United Supreme Council, 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America faithfully as Sovereign Grand Commander from 2003 until his demise.

Information about Home Going Services will be provided at a later time.

Please pray for the Vaughn family during their hour of bereavement. Sovereign Grand Commander Vaughn now resides in that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. He will certainly be missed from our ranks.

May God rest his precious soul.

The four U.S. jurisdictions of the Scottish Rite have enjoyed mutual recognition for many years. In May 2009, the Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite - Southern Jurisdiction held its biennial session in Washington, D.C. For the first time in history, both the Northern and Southern Supreme Councils of the Prince Hall Affiliation jurisdictions of the Scottish Rite were represented at that session. 

Special recognition was given that day to SGC Deary Vaughn, 33°, United Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, Prince Hall Affiliation, and SGC Solomon Wallace, 33°, United Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction, USA, Prince Hall Affiliation. 

Supreme Grand Commander Ron Seale presented Grand Commanders Vaughn and Wallace with their credentials and jewels as Emeriti Members of Honor of the Mother Supreme Council. They were joined in this photo by John Wm. McNaughton, 33°, SGC of the AASR-Northern Masonic Jurisdiction.

Since its foundation in 1881, the United Supreme Council PHA, SJ has had just seven Sovereign Grand Commanders. Illus. Deary Vaughn has served as their SGC of for seventeen years. He also served as Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Oklahoma for thirty years, from 1987-2017.

His column is broken, and his Brethren mourn.

Requiescat in pace.

Note: In 1966, the Scottish Rite PHA was divided into two jurisdictions, roughly using the Mason-Dixon Line as the dividing boundary. The Southern Jurisdiction for the United Supreme Council, PHA, consists of the states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, HI, KT, LA, MD, MS, MO, NC, NM, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, the District of Columbia, and Virgin Islands. The Northern Jurisdiction PHA consists of: AK, CO, CT, DE, HI, ID, IL, IN, IO, KA, ME, MA, MI, MI, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NY, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, and WI.