Robert Arlin Vaughn, 86, Adrian, MO, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at the Medicalodge of Butler in Butler, MO, surrounded by his daughters.  Funeral services were held  Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Adrian, MO.   Burial  in Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian, MO.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Adrian Community Library.

Arlin was born June 15, 1935, the fifth son of Bernie Edwin and Lula Blanche (Walker) Vaughn, on a farm five miles west of Pleasant Hill, MO.  He attended a one-room school house, Judy School, through the eighth grade.  As he began his freshman year at Pleasant Hill High School, he soon decided that he might be better trained in the school of hard knocks.  At the tender young age of 14, he left academia behind and began his journey into the work force.

His brother, Bernie, got him his first job at Colonial Poultry Farms in Pleasant Hill.  He also helped his brother, Harold, on the farm.  When he turned 16, he began working for Pleasant Hill Municipal Utilities until the age of 19.  At that time, he went to Kilgore, Texas.  Unable to convince companies that a 5'8" 135 lb. Missouri farm boy was what they needed in the oil fields, he changed direction and headed to Louisiana where he worked for a telephone company pulling cable.  With his youth and inexperience stacked against him, he soon headed to Linn Creek, MO where his brother, Leo, helped get him a job working construction.

1955 was a life-changing year.  In February he met Stella Lee Stamper and after five months, he asked her to marry him.  Since he was only 20 years old, he took Stella to meet his parents and have the consent papers signed.  They were married July 10, 1955 and to this union three daughters were born.  Throughout the next several years he remained involved in heavy construction.

In 1960, Arlin was involved in a very serious truck accident.  He always said he believed the Lord had "given him another chance to get his act together".  Shortly thereafter, he and Stella gave their hearts to the Lord and were baptized in April of 1960 at the Linn Creek Baptist Church.

In the late fall of 1962, Arlin decided to pursue his dream of being self-employed by starting his own excavation company.  This lasted until 1967 at which time he began transporting over-width mobile homes throughout the 48 states.  In 1968, the family relocated to Adrian, MO where he began working for Passaic Grain.  In 1970, Arlin found himself back in the heavy construction game with Tri-City Construction in Kansas City.  There he would quickly climb the ranks to senior vice-president.  After 11 years, he decided to form his own heavy construction company, RAVCO Enterprises, Inc.  With his office next door to his home and his daughter, Sandy, as his secretary, RAVCO provided job opportunities to many in the area for the next 10 years.

Then from 1991 until 1997, Arlin took the position of Road and Bridge Superintendent of Cass County, MO.  He retired from there in September of 1997 and spent the next four years doing consulting work.

Arlin had a lifelong love affair with the outdoors that he shared with friends and family.  He loved family pontoon trips, taking the grandkids fishing, floating the Missouri River with friends (and his son-in-law, Terry), or just taking pictures of wildlife with Stella by his side on a lazy afternoon.  In his later retirement years, he took a writer's course and began to write and eventually publish a book about his adventures on the Missouri River.  In addition, he had several outdoor articles printed in the Missouri Outdoors, Missouri Conservationist and Lightening Ridge Outdoors Journal.

Arlin was preceded in death by his bride of 66 years, Stella.  Also preceding him in death were his parents and five brothers, Harry, Harold, Leo, Bernie and Danny.  He is survived by his daughters:  Delia Hubbard and her husband, Terry, Neosho, MO, Albeth Lovelace and her husband, Steve and Sandy Tallman and her husband, Paul, all of Adrian, MO; 6 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren:  Michael (Stephanie) Lovelace, Sean, Breanne, Jacob and Avery of Winterset, IA; Delisa (Seth) Johnson, Boone, Grady and Ryker of Stark City, MO; Kalan (Jessica) Hubbard and Quinn of Joplin, MO; Sarah (David) Monaghan of Jacksonville, FL; Matthew (Anna) Tallman, Levi, Ryan, Thea and Troy of Adrian, MO; Brenna (Ethan) Romi, Stella and Baby Archer (due in November), of Adrian, MO.