Deborah Cloud Vaughan

 

     Deborah Cloud Vaughan, age 103, of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, passed away on September 4, 2023, at Kendal at Longwood in Kennett Square, PA, where she lived for 18 years.  Born in Ardmore, PA, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Howard Cloud and the late Elisabeth (Perot) Cloud.   

    Deborah lived a vibrant life, graduating from Wellesley College in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in English and later earning a master's degree in Psychology.  She raised her three children in Germantown, PA, except for an intervening seven years in Augusta, Georgia.   While in Georgia, she was active in the Civil Rights Movement working with the Council on Human Relations and the small, but tight-knit, Augusta Friends Meeting.  Her efforts led to the desegregation of the Hotel Richmond in Augusta and the establishment of a free food program for the needy in the public schools.  In addition, she attended medical school in Augusta for several years.  

     In 1964 her family returned to Germantown where she lived until 2005, in a house that was included on Victorian house tours.  Keenly interested in Philadelphia Victoriana, she was instrumental in the protection of the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion in Germantown and its establishment as a museum.  

     Throughout her life, Deborah had a strong interest in photography, later earning a master's degree in Photojournalism.  She traveled in both North and South America, Europe, and India. She had friends all over the world through her work with the Friends Medical Society and the Philadelphia International Program (PIP) for youth workers and social workers. 

     In her last 18 years at Kendal at Longwood Deborah pursued many interests. 

    Deborah is survived by her daughters, Sarah Sayre (Philip) of Claiborne, MD, and Joanna Vaughan of Germantown, PA; her daughter-in-law, Virginia Vaughan; her grandchildren, Joseph Gray Vaughan (Aisling), Tobias Cloud Sayre (Amanda), Alexander Gray Vaughan, and Hannah Sayre Kozaczek (Martin); and six great-grandchildren, Vivian, Oliver, Mara, Zavier, Edith, and Naomi.   She was predeceased by her former husband Victor C. Vaughan III, her son Jonathan Vaughan, and her brother Laurence Pugh Cloud.    

     In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory can be made to Planned Parenthood: PlannedParenthood/donate.org  

   Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. of Kennett Square (484-459-6217).  To view Deborah’s online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com