USAFA Class Heritage Class of 1963

Everett Vaughn’s Biography

Everett William Vaughn was born June 24, 1940, to Elmo Steele Vaughn and Martha Marie (Everett) Vaughn on Lombardy Ranch, Ojai, California. His sister, Barbara Jane Vaughn, was born March 1, 1942. The family moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where he attended public school and graduated from Fayetteville High School in May, 1958.

Everett attended the Fall Semester at the University of Arkansas and was a member of the Marching Razorbacks Band.

The call to join the Air Force was strong, and he enlisted February 1, 1959. He received Basic Training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. He was transferred to Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi, for training in electronics. While there Everett tested for the Air Force Academy. Arkansas Senator William Fulbright appointed him to the Class of 1963. Everett entered the Air Force Academy June 26, 1959, and graduated June 5, 1963, with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences degree.

Everett married Susan Nancy Darnell June 16, 1963, in San Anselmo, California. Pilot training with the Class of 65-B began August 21, 1963, at Webb AFB, Big Spring, Texas. He received his wings September 5, 1964.

Everett became a T-38 instructor pilot as his assignment following pilot training at Webb AFB. As his flying experience continued, he became a Runway Supervisory Unit Controller (RSU) and Flight Evaluator. Everett and Susan’s daughter, Heidi Marie Vaughn, was born at the Webb AFB Hospital February 28, 1966. Everett was assigned to the 7th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, for transition into the RF-4C in June, 1968. Everett and Susan’s son, William Everett Vaughn, was born August 25, 1968, at the Mountain Home AFB hospital. January, 1969, Everett was assigned to the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam. He upgraded to Instructor Pilot. He flew 192 combat missions in North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and RVN Campaign Medal. February, 1970, Everett was assigned to the 30th TRS at RAF Alconbury, England. He was a Flight Commander and Instructor Pilot. He was selected to become a Flight Examiner in the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Standardization and Evaluation Division.

July, 1974, he was assigned to the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, graduating in January, 1975. February, 1975, Everett was assigned to Tactical Air Command Headquarters, Langley AFB, Hampton, Virginia, Directorate of Personnel, where he was Chief of Personnel Plans Division. He was responsible for the Personnel portion of all contingency plans; developed tasking orders to TAC units responding to exercise or contingency requirements; and military pay issues. He graduated from Professional Personnel Management Course at the Air University, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama, February 1976. He received his Master of Arts in Human Resources Management degree from Pepperdine University.

July, 1978, he was assigned to the 1st TRS at RAF Alconbury. He became the 10th TRW Chief of Standardization and Evaluation Division. He was qualified as aircrah commander, instructor pilot, and flight examiner. June 1981, he was assigned to the Tactical Air Control Party at Fort Carson, CO, as the 4th Infantry Division Reconnaissance Liaison Officer.

February 1, 1983, he retired from the Air Force and began a career as an accountant. Everett founded BINEX (Business Information Exchange) of Colorado. His was a home office. He was active in community affairs as a member of Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and Woodmen Valley Sertoma Club. He served as Treasurer and President of the Sertoma Club. Everett was a founding member of the Rampart Chapter of the Association of Graduates United States Air Force Academy, and served as Treasurer for 25 years. Through Sertoma, he met Alvin Blumberg, a USAFA 1968 graduate, and they founded Dimensions Financial Services to provide accounting and investment services to individuals and small business owners. Their office was located at 724 S Tejon Street, Colorado Springs. The need for accounting and tax services grew faster than the need for financial services, and Alvin leh the business. It was at this time that Everett’s daughter, Heidi, and her husband, Jeffrey Wyckoff, returned from Sacramento, CA, where he had been working. Jeff had a bachelor’s degree in accounting and wanted to get his master’s degree and become a certified public accountant. They became employees, and business continued to thrive. Jeff was successful in his pursuits, and Wyckoff tt Associates, Professional Corporation, was formed in 1995. The assets of Dimensions Financial Services were transferred to Wyckoff, and Everett became a staff account. He would continue with Wyckoff until October, 2018, when he retired. Everett’s wife, Suzie, had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, and he became her caregiver. The ravages of Parkinson’s slowly took their toll, and Suzie died April 19, 2024. They shared a wonderful life together and with their extended family which included grand- daughters, Samantha and Melissa, grand-sons, Kyle and Nash, and great-grandchildren, Sven, Phoebe, and Hudson. As of this writing, March 2, 2025, Everett is practicing retirement. He recently volunteered for and was appointed Treasurer for his USAFA Class of 1963. He is also working as a volunteer at the Space Foundation’s Discovery Center.  

35th Reunion (1998): Everett Vaughn was born June 24, 1940 in Ojai, CA. The family moved to Arkansas when he was seven. He graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1958. The idea to attend USAFA came too late in his senior year, so he entered the University of Arkansas as a budding engineer. Anxious to get into the Air Force, he enlisted February 2, 1959. He met Suzie on a blind date while our class was at Hamilton AFB during our 3rd Class summer tour of the ZI commands. We married June 16, 1963, in San Anselmo, CA. Thus began our travels with the Air Force. Our first stop was Webb AFB, TX, for UPT. Ev then became a T-38 IP. Our daughter, Heidi Marie, was born February 28, 1966. The stay at Webb lasted five years. The next stop was Mountain Home AFB, ID, for transition into the RF-4C. Suzie was pregnant with Bill and was convinced that all Air Force Bases were located in hot, dry places. Bill was born August 25, 1968. 1969 was Ev’s year in Vietnam . We enjoyed the few days of R&R in Hawaii with Suzie. Our next stop on the tour was RAF Alconbury, England. we were to enjoy almost eight years in England in the course of two tours. We bought a home in a tiny village named Woodhurst and were the only Americans in that village. Ev tried to get an assignment to Fort Lewis, WA, but was told the position had been filled. The alternative was a similar position at Fort Carson, CO. We later learned that Greg Fairhurst had the position at Fort Lewis. We are very happy here in Colorado Springs. Ev started an accounting practice following retirement. He moved from the basement to an office downtown as the business grew. Heidi married Jeffrey Wyckoff in 1988 and has two beautiful daughters, Samantha and Melissa. Jeff is a CPA and is now the leader of the accounting firm that Ev started. Bill married Mindy in 1991. They now have two boys, Kyle and Nash. Suzie and Ev are still involved with the Academy. We have three “adopted” sons on active duty and one who is third classman this year. We are also members of the Rampart Chapter of the Association of Graduates. Our door is always open to visitors. Come see us.