Dawn Teresa Vaughn was born January 29, 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri to Woody and Colleen (Hadsall) Vaughn. They moved to Higginsville, Missouri in 1964, where she lived until 1971, when they moved to Wayton, Arkansas, where they lived until 1974. In 1974, her family moved to Osceola, Missouri.

Dawn attended Nevada Regional Technical School in 1998, gaining her L.P.N. license. She worked at numerous nursing facilities in Missouri. In 2017, she became a traveling nurse, traveling to Rosewell, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Davenport, IA, and Wisconsin.

In August of 2018, Dawn started chemo treatments for breast cancer, she had a short remission. In April of 2020, she started chemo treatments again, and continued them until January of 2022, when she passed away.

Dawn loved to be outdoors. She loved to go fishing, and playing darts with her son Carl, and spending time with her daughter, known to most as, Cissi. She loved taking her grandchildren to the lake to swim and going camping. Dawn has impacted so many lives through her life's journey, from her crazy laugh to her amazing humor and kind heart, she was loved by all who met her.

She is survived by her mother Colleen Vaughn, two sisters: Tami Hix and Marti Norris, one brother: Charles Vaughn, Son, Carl Vaughn, Daughter, Crisanta Vaughn, five grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.