Butterbrodt. Vaugh Lee, Butterbrodt. Vaugh Lee

Vaughn Lee Butterbrodt, 67, of Poway, Calif., went to meet Jesus his Lord and Savior on Saturday, July 6, 2013, after a 12 year battle with kidney cancer.

Vaughn was born Aug. 31, 1945, on a hot summer day at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa.He grew up on the Butterbrodt family farm east of Tipton, Iowa, and graduated from Tipton Community Schools in 1963. While in high school, Vaughn played on very successful football, basketball and baseball teams.After high school, Vaughn attended Ellsworth Community College, graduating in 1965 with an Associate of Arts degree. While at Ellsworth College, he played football and baseball on nationally ranked teams for two years. In his freshman year at Ellsworth, he was fortunate to play in the Junior College World Series at Grand Junction, Colo.

In 1967, Vaughn graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts degree. At graduation, Vaughn received his commission as a 2nd Lt in the United States Air Force. Upon entering the U. S. Air Force, Vaughn attended navigator training and received his wings in the summer of 1968. While serving his country for 20 years in the U. S. Air Force, he was stationed at seven different Strategic Air Command bases. He flew over 2,000 hours as an instructor navigator on the KC-135 Stratotanker. Taking several breaks from flying, Vaughn managed the design of training programs for the B-52, FB-11, KC/EC-135, B-1 and B-2 aircrafts.

In 1983, Vaughn met his lovely wife, 2nd Lt Mary Prodzinski, in Fort Worth, Texas, and married her Nov. 23, 1983. At his retirement from the U. S. Air Force as a Lt Colonel in 1987, he and Mary moved to Poway, Calif.

Vaughn played lots of golf while retired and served his Lord and Saviour as a ministry leader at the Olive Branch Christian Fellowship church in Poway, Calif. Friends remember Vaughn for his constant smile, Stetson hats and friendliness to others.

Vaughn is survived by his wife of 29 years, Mary Butterbrodt (Poway, Calif.); son, Beau Butterbrodt (Cedar Rapids, Iowa); grandson, Cole Butterbrodt (Cedar Rapids, Iowa); brother, Lynn (Carol) Butterbrodt (Mount Pleasant, Iowa); and nephew Gage (Katherine) Butterbrodt (Lafayette, Ind).

He was preceded in death by his precious daughter, Becky Sue Butterbrodt; and his beloved parents, Harlan and Lucille Butterbrodt.

A memorial will be held at the First United Church of Christ in Tipton, on Sept. 8, 2013 at 2p.m. A family memorial will be held at the Butterbrodt family farm at Tipton, where Vaughn's ashes will be cast on the fertile soil.

In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Fisher House Foundation at . Fisher House provides temporary family housing while their military loved ones are being treated at military hospitals.

Published in The Gazette July 9, 2013.