Dolores Karen Vaughn

Dolores Karen Vaughn, a beloved mother, sister, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at her home, surrounded by the love of her family.

Dolores was born on January 11, 1947, in Oak Park, Illinois, to David and Margaret (Groot) Jacobsen. She was raised in the Oak Park suburbs of Chicago and attended Austin High School, where she began building the foundation for the remarkable life she would go on to lead.

Dolores Vaughn was dedicated to education and pursued her studies at The University of Chicago, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in teaching. She began her teaching career in Clovis, New Mexico, where she taught junior high mathematics. Her passion for education then took her to El Paso, Texas, and later to Antioch, Illinois. Dolores’s unwavering dedication and love for teaching junior high math eventually led her to Staton Middle School in Fox Lake, Illinois, where she continued to inspire and educate her students.

On September 16, 1969, Dolores became a mother to Patricia Rachelle (Vaughn) Finney, followed by Gina Priscilla (Vaughn) York on July 9, 1975. She was a loving, tough-love grandmother to Trevor, Katrina, Bryan, Brett York, and Liam Finney. She was also a cherished great-grandmother to Laniyah, Kobe, Zayne, and Briella. Her love, strength, and memories will live on through each of them, and they will continue to honor her legacy for generations to come.

Anyone who knew Dolores knew she had an exceptional work ethic and was never one to shy away from hard work. She could certainly be rough around the edges at times, with a strong and sometimes harsh personality, but that was simply part of who she was. Dolores was a one-of-a-kind woman who lived life on her own terms and left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.

Dolores Vaughn is survived by her sister-in-law, Carol Jacobsen; her children, Patricia Finney, Gina and Bart York; her grandchildren, Trevor (Veronica), Katrina, Bryan, and Brett York; and her great-grandchildren, Laniyah, Kobe, Zayne, and Briella York.

She is predeceased by her parents, David Kenneth Sr. and Margaret (Groot) Jacobsen; her brother, David Kenneth Jr. Jacobsen; and her nephew, Erik David Jacobsen.

Dolores did not want a funeral or any type of celebration of life, and her family is honoring her wishes. She was very much the kind of person who would say, “If they didn’t see me or talk to me when I was alive, why should they come see me when I’m dead?” That was Dolores—honest, straightforward, and always true to herself.

Dolores will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Her spirit will live on in the hearts of those she loved and those who loved her in return. Her memory will forever remain a part of the lives she touched.

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Derrick Funeral Home of Lake Geneva is honored to be assisting the Vaughn Family.