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Vaughn Bornet, 'a brilliant curmudgeon,' remembered By John Darling for the Tidings Oct 09, 2020 01:10 PM A A Vaughn Davis Bornet is being remembered as a witty, feisty, caring, deeply knowledgeable author, professor and analyst of the passing social and political scene. Bornet, a longtime Southern Oregon University professor who wrote 20 books, was a researcher for the RAND Corporation, Encyclopedia Britannica and the American Medical Association, served two decades on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission from Oregon and was a former president of the Southern Oregon Symphony Association died in Ashland on Oct. 5, four days shy of his 103rd birthday. Among his other books, Bornet, a Philadelphia native who had a doctorate from Stanford, wrote on the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson, Franklin Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover. His most recent book, “That Trump,” published earlier this year, detailed the dangers of the sitting president. A memorial will be held at 1 p.m. today, Oct. 10, on Zoom (meeting ID: 967 2362 3653; Passcode: 140344). Donations may be shared with Asante Ashland Hospital Auxiliary. Bornet was a Navy officer in World War II and came to SOU in 1963. He was chair of the Social Sciences Department at Southern Oregon University for 14 years, taught 23 different courses over 18 years, created the law enforcement program, and in 1964 started the first class on the environment in Oregon. “I appreciated his wit and brilliant mind. He was a man of intellectual power and multiple talents,” said former SOU President Roy Saigo. “He could pinpoint an issue that was clouded by political arguments, loose data, hearsay and anecdotal evidence. Then he would challenge conclusions and decisions, backing up his positions with facts, data and reasoning. “He was not a one-pony act. His mind was always looking for new and interesting topics, in multiple realms.” Shirley Patton, the longtime actor at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival recounted the friendliness of her longtime neighbor. “Vaughn and Beth (his wife) were wonderfully hospitable people and gracious hosts,” Patton said. “(MY husband) Bill and I, during his final illness, used to walk a loop from our home on Terrace up to Ridge Road and back. Vaughn had placed a swing below their home, and as it was about halfway in our journey, the swing offered a rest for Bill and an exquisite view of the valley. After we thanked Vaughn for his kindness, he put a small plaque on it with our names. What a charming surprise.” Saigo agreed that Bornet’s multiple interests led to unexpected moments. “When I visited at his apartment, he asked me to name some favorite tunes. Then he took out his trumpet and played a few songs. That was a delightful surprise,” Saigo said. “He then offered to share some high-end liquor. So, here’s to you, Vaughn — a brilliant curmudgeon, a fearless intellectual with strong core values, who would stand up for a principle.” Physician Bil Donlon remembered meeting the longtime member of the Ashland Rotary Club when he joined in 2006. “(Vaughn) took a liking to me and always called me ‘The Doctor.’ He was an expert on many topics from American presidents to nuclear power, and he took me on many intellectual journeys,” Donlon said. “He even wrote a children’s book about his dog. “When he went in longterm care, I called through the front desk to speak with him (not realizing he had his cellphone). When he picked up his landline, he loudly asked, ‘Who’s calling me on this thing?’ When he realized it was The Doctor, he said, “Come on over, I have a full bottle of bourbon!” He was probably 98 at the time. He had an impact on me, many Ashlandians, SOC students, and his fellow historians.” Sharon Iaskos commented, “Vaughn was at Brookdale when my folks were there. He used to stop by my dad’s table in the dining room and share a shot of whiskey and a copy of his latest book. Thrilled my dad. One of a kind guy. Vital til the end.” Former Oregon Senate President Fred Heard, an editor of The Siskiyou newspaper of SOU in the early 1960s, said, “I remember so well his arrival. There were those who felt challenged. He was new. He was smart. He was opinionated. He was well-connected. He made a significant mark at SOU — and the school and Ashland are better for his arrival and all the years he remained. May perpetual light shine upon him.” Former Ashland Mayor Alan DeBoer said, “One must ponder on a life that always was respectful, one who voiced his opinions in a quiet, clearly composed way and directly to the point (eventually). It was an honor to listen and talk to Vaughn on many subjects, and I read a lot of his books. He will be missed. “If anyone is interested, I have a Sequoia tree given to me in the Senate that I would be happy to help transplant per his wishes. I will always regret not visiting him as we sequestered ourselves due to the virus that has so altered our lives, and, yes, I purchased his last book ‘That Trump’ and finished it a month ago. Thank you Vaughn for the great example you have been!” In a July story in the Ashland Tidings, Bornet called himself a moderate Republican who had voted mostly Democrat recently, and that his book on Trump was notan attack. “I’ve tried to be as objective as I can under the circumstances,” he said. “But each day, you see him making a fool of himself on television and you ask yourself, ‘How can I overlook that?’ It’s very hard.” In a Tidings story a decade ago, Bornet, asked how he got to be so old, said, “It was no accident. I had every childhood disease. I was skinny and decided to become strong. I weight-lifted and gained 10 pounds. I nearly died with a heart attack in ’77. I never smoked. “I have one drink before dinner, Jameson’s Irish Whiskey. My high school class is all gone. When I was having one drink, they had four. When I was out (exercising), they were watching television. I never retired. I came here (retirement community) to work. I live as a person in real life. Others go to old people events and talk like old people. I don’t.” Bornet is survived by his daughter, Barbara Lee Bornet Stumph of Walnut Creek, California. A son, Stephen Folwell Bornet of Stamford, Connecticut, predeceased his father. Heirs include spouses of children, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. “My father lived his life with enthusiasm,” Stumph said. “He was very passionate, disciplined and fiercely loving of America and her historical record. He saw himself as a man of history: not just a man.” John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. Mail Tribune file photoVaughn Davis Bornet, an Ashland suthor, historian and educated who died Oct. 5 a few days shy of his 103rd birthday, is being remembered for his intellect and his carm by friends and co-workers.