In Wichita, Kansas on March 10th, 1942, a son was born to Rosetta and Woodrow Vaughn. They named him Gearld Allison. Gearld was the oldest of the two sons. His mother, Rosetta, father, Woodrow, and stepfather Nathaniel Colbert, preceded him in death.

Gearld was raised in a Christian home, where his mother Rosetta was a strong believer and served the Lord faithfully until the angels called her home. Gearld united with Blackjack Baptist Church at an early age. He attended Muskogee Public Schools and graduated from the Historic Manual Training High School. His father Woodrow Harrison loved to ride, and it quickly became a passion for Gearld as well.

Gearld loved horses and traveled over the country to bulldog, and he was good at it. His dress was a starch-ironed western shirt and starch-ironed wrangler jeans; all of that to jump off a horse and wrestle a bull, but that is what he loved to do. When Muskogee would have their yearly parades, Gearld would ride in the parades showing off his horses. Gearld also loved Ford pickup trucks, driving down junction with his blues playing loud, and going to his mother's house to take care of his horses. He loved his horses dearly.

Later in life he met and married Josephine Hill, and to this union four children were born: Marsha, Rosetta, Gearld Jr., and Rodney. Joan Ann Simmons Bridges was a special daughter whom he dearly loved. Gearld's dream was for Marsha to become a professional barrel racer. He purchased a horse and a trainer, but as she got older, she was no longer interested in riding horses. Gearld and Rodney traveled alongside him to learn the ropes to bulling dogging, and Gearld continued what he had been taught still to this day. Rosetta never had an interest in riding horses and would just watch, but when he took sick, she was the one that would drive him over to feed and water the horses.

Gearld was employed at the Santa Fe Packaging House, and he moved from there and worked at Graham Packing to later for Nelson's Furniture as a foreman until he retired. After reaching retirement age, he still traveled to Rodeo's and participated in some capacity. He would sometimes let others use his horse, Red. Gearld was a good horse trainer, and Red was a good bull dogging horse, but only a certain one could ride him. Red was a little crazy like his owner at times, but they loved and understood each other. He spent a lot of his time training his horse.

In 2018 he suffered his first stroke, and through the years he has had a total of five. God was not ready for Gearld, and he was not ready to go just yet. He was a strong-willed man, with a very strong personality, and sometimes stubborn. His wife of almost sixty years stood by his side, nurturing and caring for him. His Pokey, as only he could say, Josephine, a strong woman of Faith, wanted him home. She was his extra hands when he needed them, and always made sure that he was well taken care of. They always sat in the living room daily, watching westerns. On Wednesday evening around 6:00 PM, Gearld took sick and was rushed to the emergency room. He was in the ICU floor, eventually transferring to Cornerstone. Being the strong-willed man that he was, he continued to fight and not give up. After being there for two weeks, he was then transferred to a facility, where he would have twenty-four hour care.

On Friday, May 20th, 2022, Gearld, with his family by his side, took his master's hand and traveled to a place where there will be no more pain and suffering, and he will be met at the gates by his Heavenly Father, his parents, stepfather, daughter, along with a host of other relatives.

Gearld leaves to cherish his memory: his loving wife, Josephine of Muskogee; two daughters, Marsha (Bobby) and Rosetta (James), all of Muskogee; two sons, Gearld and Rodney (Kimber) of Muskogee; two brothers, Richard (Lynda) of Tulsa and Eugene Colbert (Ladonna) of Muskogee; four sisters, Queen Ester Colbert of OKC, Jeanie Craig, Patricia Johnson, and Gloria Colbert, all of Muskogee; a very special sister-in-law whom he loved dearly, Jeanette Edwards; a son-in-law, Maurice Bridges; eleven grandchildren; and twenty-nine great grand-children.

Earth's loss is Heaven's gain. Until then... See you later, COWBOY!

Mr. Gerald Vaughn, after 80 years, "took his last ride up to Heaven" on Friday morning, May 20, 2022 from Muskogee, Oklahoma.

The Final Farewell for Gerald will commence on Friday, May 27, 2022 at 2PM in the most holy sanctuary of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, where Pastor Gary Hall, Sr. will be presiding.

You may visit him Gerald, as he slumbers in peaceful repose in The People's Chapel of Keith D. Biglow Funeral Directors, Inc.,-Muskogee on Thursday, May 26, 2022 between the hours of 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM.

Burial will immediately follow the services in the Booker T. Washington Cemetery in Muskogee.