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Fervent Supporters, Constant Friends
Dr. Jim and Bonna Bess Vaughn Help Build Excellence at UT Tyler
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Dr. Jim and Bonna Bess Vaughn |
A longtime Tyler physician, Dr. Jim Vaughn
was deeply committed to serving the medical
needs of area residents, but his contributions
to the city extended far beyond medicine.
The Tyler native gave generously of his time,
energy and resources to help keep the community
strong and growing, particularly in
the area of education. He was, in fact,
passionate about supporting education.
Among The University of Texas at Tyler’s
foremost champions, Dr.Vaughn, an eye, ear,
nose and throat specialist, and his wife Bonna
Bess helped nurture the university in its
infancy and have been fervently supportive
through every chapter of its history.
Until the time of his passing in July 2007 at
the age of 94, Dr.Vaughn, who is survived by
his wife, remained concerned for every aspect
of the university’s well being.
“Dr. Vaughn loved the university,’’ said UT
Tyler President Rodney Mabry. “For the last
many years, he and Bonna Bess drove
through the UT Tyler campus almost every
week and often more than once a week. They
wanted to keep up with all of the university’s
growth and physical changes. And Dr.
Vaughn and I would talk about those changes
when I visited him or called on the phone. I
would take him every brochure or picture of
new projects.’’
Steadfast Support
The Jim and Bonna Bess Vaughn
Auditorium in the UT Tyler R. Don Cowan
Fine and Performing Arts Center and the Dr.
Jim and Bonna Bess Vaughn Recreation and
Therapy Pool in the UT Tyler Louise
Herrington Patriot Center were made possible
through major gifts from the Vaughn family.
Dr. and Mrs. Vaughn also created the
Presidential Scholarship in Nursing through
the Vaughn Foundation, which was established
by his father, Dr. Edgar H. Vaughn.
One of Dr. Jim Vaughn’s most significant
contributions to UT Tyler was his steadfast
and vocal support of its progression to a
comprehensive university. UT Tyler began as
an upper-level institution offering junior, senior
and graduate level courses. In 1997, the
Texas Legislature authorized UT Tyler to
become a comprehensive, four-year university.
The Tyler businessman, civic leader and faithful
member of the UT Tyler Development
Board and President’s Associates “was a
champion of our four-year status, recognizing
that it would be beneficial to the East Texas
region,’’ Dr. Mabry said.
 “He saw early on that this region needed a
significant, comprehensive university and saw
that both UT Tyler and Tyler Junior College
would benefit from the upgrade in the
university. And, of course, he was right.
Both institutions have grown markedly in
size and strength since UT Tyler made the
change. We are grateful for his foresight and
for his willingness to take a strong stand.’’
During the 1970s, when UT Tyler was Texas
Eastern University, Dr. Vaughn was supportive
in many ways, including serving as school of
nursing board chairman. He continued
supporting the university after it became part
of the UT System in 1979. And when community
discussions began concerning UT
Tyler’s possible expansion to four-year status,
he was one of its strongest advocates, recalled
Priscilla Zeppa, who served as Dr. Vaughn’s
business manager for more than 20 years.
“Tyler he loved and whatever was necessary
to keep Tyler growing, he was willing to do it.
He supported the nursing school at Texas
Eastern because he said, ‘We will never have
decent hospitals if we do not have the nurses,
so we’ve got to have nurse education here.’
And he supported UT Tyler becoming a
four-year school. He kept saying ‘Tyler needs
it. It has to happen.’ ’’
Not everyone in the Tyler area could see the
benefit of adding four-year status to UT
Tyler, especially in the same environment
with a strong junior college presence in TJC.
Gathering research on issues surrounding the
proposed four-year status became part of
Zeppa’s job:
“Dr. Vaughn was one who said, ‘All right, go
to the library and find this article and that
article and see what you can get on this. And
so another part of my job was very often to go
and research a subject. And I wrote to so
many magazines and places for a back copy of
this and a back copy of that.’’
She said Dr. Vaughn would attend meetings
in the community carrying a little suitcase
full of research – research indicating that
Tyler was sending many of its brightest students
away to four-year universities outside
the area and that graduates were inclined to
settle close to where they attended college.
 “He would pull out all of his articles, spread
them out and say, ‘Every bit of the research
that I can find says that if you have a good
four-year university and a good junior
college, they do two different things and they
support each other, and this is what Tyler
needs.’ ’’
Dr. Vaughn also strongly supported the
creation of the Cowan Center, realizing that a
major cultural arts complex at UT Tyler
would be a tremendous asset not only to the
university but also to Tyler and East Texas,
Zeppa added.
The Cowan Center opened in 1997 and has
provided an exceptional new dimension to
the academic and cultural life of the university
and the entire region. Vaughn Auditorium
is the center’s largest venue and the site of
world-class performances, distinguished lectures
and official university events including
commencements and convocations.
The Vaughns also supported the arts at
UT Tyler as members of the Friends of the
Arts and the Cowan Center Circle, and
Dr. Vaughn served on the Cowan Center
advisory board.
Fond Memories
Mary Irwin served as managing director
of the Cowan Center in 1999 and retired
in 2003 as vice president of university
advancement.
“The passing of Dr. Jim Vaughn was a very
sad occasion for several reasons. He was not
only a gentleman but also a very gentle man,
one of the great generation of philanthropists
who believed strongly in giving back to his
community,’’ she said. 
“He and his beloved Bonna Bess were very
instrumental in supporting the development
of the Cowan Center and they attended the
performances regularly. It was always a treat
to witness his courtly manner to his wife. He
also enjoyed talking with students and was
particularly pleased to hear from the Vaughn
scholarship recipients.’’
Dr. Vaughn “enjoyed good fellowship and
conversation and was quick with a story to fit
the occasion,’’ Irwin recalled. “Even during his
hospital stays, he related memorable
incidences while wearing his UT Tyler
baseball cap.’’
She added, “One of my most delightful
memories was when Dr. Mabry donned his
fins and snorkeling gear to
ask Dr. Vaughn to participate
in the building of the
recreation and therapy pool
at the Herrington Patriot
Center. Since he had been a
Navy man, Dr. Vaughn
roared with laughter when
Dr.Mabry waddled into his
office.’’
The incident is a favorite
memory for Dr. Mabry
as well.
“Dr. Vaughn could not stop
laughing when I went to his
office wearing my dive flippers,
dive mask and snorkel.
And the joke was on me. He
told me later that he and
Mrs. Vaughn had already
decided to help. He just
wanted to see what I would
do that day,’’ Dr. Mabry
recalled.
“I am personally thankful for Dr. Vaughn’s
kind, good-hearted spirit. He had a joke for
every occasion and for every person – or at
least so I thought. Perhaps he just wanted
me to lighten up from time to time,’’ the
president added.
 Serving recreational, educational and therapeutic
purposes, the Vaughn Recreation and
Therapy Pool reflects Dr. and Mrs. Vaughn’s
commitment to health care and their understanding
of the importance of student life as
well as academic enhancement. The pool
includes such unique features as the zero
grade wheelchair entry, vortex therapy
whirlpool, two-lane lap pool, hot spa and a
bubble couch.
It is one of the many examples of the Vaughn
family’s extraordinary kindness and willingness
to help build excellence at UT Tyler.
The Vaughns’ devotion to this university has
been a constant thread throughout our history
and will continue to enrich the lives of our
students, faculty and staff for generations
to come.
More Stories
- President's Letter
- Around Campus
- Focus on: Faculty
- Focus on: Alumni
- Focus on: Benefactors
- Focus on: Athletics
- Focus on: Students
- Class Notes
Special Section: UT Tyler Research
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