On December 14, 2024, Carole Helen Vaughan quietly entered into rest at her home in Cottondale, Alabama, surrounded by her loving and supportive family. Carol was 89 years old and leaves behind a legacy of faith, love, and resilience. She radiated love and care, making everyone around her feel valued and cherished.

Carole was born on October 11, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, to Charles Augustus and Lillian Sonneé. She is the sixth child of nine children.

A graduate of William H. Maxwell High School in Brooklyn, Carole developed stellar skills in dressmaking and sewing. After high school, she continued creating beautiful clothing; and professionally, worked as a doll-clothes seamstress. Later, she worked as a bank teller before becoming a lead bookkeeper at a textile firm in Long Island City, Queens, New York. Although her career path led her elsewhere, her sewing skills were a hallmark of her creativity and care.

Carole’s first marriage to Harry Alston was blessed with two daughters, Darleen and Lisa. In 1964, she met her future husband, Clarence Vaughan, and their union was blessed with three children: Clara, Clarence “Michael”, and Keith Sr. In addition, Clarence and Carole proudly raised their grandson, Keith Jr., as their own. Clarence and Carole remained devoted partners for over 55 years until his untimely passing in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite battling COVID at the time of her husband’s passing, Carole made a miraculous recovery, demonstrating her resilience and unwavering faith.

Carole was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness on November 16, 1975. She remained devoted and active in the ministry for over 49 years. She loved talking to people about Jehovah God and the Good News of the Kingdom, and as a Christian always tried her best to follow Jesus Christ as her model. In her later years, Carole engaged in letter writing, continued her ministry, effectively reaching hearts near and far with her faith and positivity.

Carole had a green thumb for plants. She nurtured her favorites: marigolds, begonias, spider and tradescantia zebrinas. A voracious reader with a vast vocabulary, she excelled at Scrabble and card games, often outsmarting family and friends with her sharp mind and competitive spirit. She had a lifelong love for baseball. Her favorites teams were the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees.

Carole is preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Albert Vaughan, her parents Lillian and Charles Sonneé, her siblings, Adelaide, Charles, Walter Leon “Mickey”, Haywood, Clara, Lillian, and Ronald, and her son-in-law, Eric Rivera. Carole is survived by her sister Yvonne (Walter) Brown; her five children: Darleen Rivera, Lisa (Mike) Scott, Clara (Donald “Unique”) Brooks, Clarence “Michael” Vaughan and Keith Vaughan, Sr.; ten beloved grandchildren: Lillian (Michael) Livingston, Eric (Rena) Rivera, Antonisa Scott, Claire (Robin) D’Oench, Taneya (Ryan) Rodriguez, Capri Brooks, Keith Vaughan, Jr., Ciara Scott, Alayna Vaughan, Skylar Brooks, and ten great- grandchildren: Tristan, Olivia, Nicholas, Noah, Aiden, Anias, Lynnae, Madison, Noel, Ella; and best friend, Laura McCants. Carole also leaves behind many nieces, nephews and extended family members and friends who will miss her deeply.

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