Albert Vaughn Mankin

Albert Vaughn Mankin

May 28, 1946 – April 9, 2025

Off he went, April 9, 2025, after completing a life well lived. We are thankful for this incredibly quiet, kind man. He loved and taught us so much.

Albert Vaughn Mankin was born May 28, 1946, the youngest child of Lola Works and Ernest Elmo Mankin, in Delta, UT. He was raised in Delta, UT and Las Vegas, NV. He graduated from Delta High School in 1964. Vaughn served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the north island of New Zealand. After his mission, he married Ann Marie Day, who was his reluctant hair dresser for 56 years. He honorably served his country as an Army artilleryman during the Viet Nam war. After his military service, Vaughn and Ann Marie made their home in Salt Lake City, while Vaughn attended the University of Utah. He graduated from the U with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian language. He then proceeded to teach us all catchy Russian phrases that have come in handy throughout our lives.

Vaughn began his career with the U.S. Postal Service as a letter carrier in Salt Lake City then Orem, UT. He served as Postmaster in Oak City, UT and ended his career as Postmaster of Hinckley, UT. He was active in National Association of Postmasters of the United States (NAPUS) throughout his Postal career.

Vaughn was active in his community and church and spent his whole life doing his best to serve others. He did not need to know why, he just needed to know when help was needed. Vaughn was a self-taught handy man. He could teach himself to do anything, long before the age of YouTube. With minor begging by Ann Marie, Vaughn was open to any project she dreamed up, culminating in a beautiful greenhouse he built for her a few short years ago. He enjoyed a good project and dreamed up a few of his own, including working on nifty old jeeps and hand digging a beautiful pond in the garden that beckoned ducks, frogs and tadpoles for the grandkids to play with and Ann Marie to fall into. He loved photography and took classes to learn and improve that skill. While living in southern Utah, there were many glorious rides and rode trips that gave him ample subjects to capture with his lens. Everything he learned and knew, he would give to others. He always taught with kindness, patience and humor. Vaughn was our daily example of class, love and service despite living for 55 years with severe Type 1 diabetes and the ensuing daily challenges that illness brought. Above all, Vaughn found immense joy when he spent time with each grandchild and he loved them unconditionally. He celebrated their unique personalities and they knew that he loved them. We honor and adore this excellent husband, brother, father, grandfather and friend.

Vaughn is survived by his wife, Ann Marie; daughters and sons-in-law, Mara and Justin Elsner and Natalya and Shawn Bailey (all of Smithfield, UT); son and daughter-in-law, Shawn and Sian Mankin (Kilgore, TX); brother, Ernest Mankin (Brigham City, UT); seven grandchildren (Caleb, Sierra, Brady, Cailin, Kyle, Landon and Griffin) and three great-grandchildren (Lennon, Eleanor, Everett); and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; siblings Kenneth Mankin, Juanita Teeples and Loretta Needham.

We would like to express our appreciation for kind friends and neighbors who brought meals and visited Vaughn as his health declined. We would also like to extend our gratitude for the support and expertise provided by the Intermountain Health Hospice team.

A graveside service for family and friends is planned for Friday, April 18, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the Smithfield City Cemetery in Smithfield, Utah. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com