SPRINGDALE — The city lost a chronicler of its history and a pioneer in television sales Sunday with the death of Bruce Vaughan.
Vaughan, 90, did more than dabble in his many interests, he plunged in head first, according to his brother-in-law, Frank Maestri.
“He filled his years with an intense passion for everything he undertook,” Maestri said. “He was a doer who did many things very well.”
Vaughan ran a TV and radio store and a photography shop. His photographs appeared on the covers of three national magazines, according to Don Gibson, his cousin.
He was an amateur radio operator who hand-built and sold ham radios. He also wrote five books about life in Springdale.
“He was a very smart guy,” said Jim Morriss, former editor of the Springdale Morning News. “He always thought out of the box.”
Morriss worked as a volunteer with Vaughan at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History. Two of Vaughan’s books, “Emma We Love You” and “Shiloh Reflections,” are on sale at the museum, said Susan Young, museum outreach coordinator.
Vaughan graduated from Springdale High School in 1939 and attended the University of Arkansas before enlisting in the Air Force in 1942. He served in Europe during World War II.
He returned to open a radio shop, Bruce’s Radio, which quickly added TV to the title. He sold the first TV going to a retail customer in Arkansas.
Vaughan and his wife, Mary Frances, also opened a photography shop, Image One Studio, on Emma Avenue. After his retirement, he built and sold ham radios over the Internet, including one to a man he knew only as Joe Walsh.
Vaughan didn’t know who Walsh was until he was invited to attend a concert by Walsh’s band, the Eagles.
Vaughan later helped a charity supported by Gibson by donating for auction a guitar signed by all of the Eagles.
“It raised $23,500,” Gibson said.
Vaughan remained active until three weeks before his death, when he suffered a heart attack, Maestri said.
“He was such a likable guy,” Morriss said. “He would tell you what he thought and wouldn’t beat around the bush.”
Gibson said Vaughan told him he had only two regrets: he never flew a bi-plane and he never rode a motorcycle to the West Coast.
“You’ve lived a pretty full life if that is the only regrets you have,” Gibson said.