[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7983-7984]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO MR. WILLIE VAUGHN (UNCLE DUDE)

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 2004

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, growing up in a small rural town 
in extreme Southeastern Arkansas presented many memorable moments and 
interesting personalities. On April 20th one of those personalities, 
Mr. Willie Vaughn reached a milestone in his life, Mr. Vaughn became 
100 years old. I take this opportunity to congratulate him for not only 
living this long but for the many things he was able to provide 
leadership to and that he accomplished during his lifetime.
  Mr. Willie Vaughn (my Uncle Dude) is technically my mother's 
stepbrother. However, they never acted as though they were anything 
except brothers and sisters who were integral parts of a large family 
group. In addition, he and my father were close friends and church 
associates. Therefore, our families were always very close and 
exhibited great feelings of kinship and friendship.
  Uncle Dude was always a leader, at work, at church, in community 
activities, in family matters . . . in life. Like practically all of 
the other Blacks in town, he had very little formal education but has 
always been one of the smartest men that I have known. He was a farmer, 
a sharecropper, but also could make you a suit of clothes, cut your 
hair, make molasses and syrup, buy and rent real-estate and drive the 
school bus once we got one.
  Uncle Dude was probably best known as a church leader and mentor. He 
could do and did everything at church there was to be done.

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He could sing, was chairman of the trustee board, Sunday School 
Superintendent and teacher, fundraiser, program planner and would 
cleanup, cut the grass and do everything else that was required. Uncle 
Dude was and is a tremendous family man, a patriarch; Aunt L.C. and all 
of my cousins always knew that Uncle Dude was a man whom they could 
count on and be proud of his leadership, personal support and well-
being for his family.
  Uncle Dude, Brother Willie, Mr. Vaughn, he was called many things and 
by many different people; but always with respect. He has been a giant, 
a legend, a mentor. . . . a man among men. He learned to walk with 
Kings and Queens but never lost the common touch, all men matters with 
him; but none too much.
  Happy Birthday on your 100th.

                          ____________________