George A. Vaughn ’51

Arky was born in East Orange, N.J., graduated from the Lawrenceville School, and came to Princeton after serving in the Navy. At Princeton, he was a member of Tiger Inn and sang with the Tigertones. He transferred to Ohio State University and earned a degree in engineering.

He worked for Alcoa in New York City; married his wife, Martha; then moved to Princeton to work at a smaller company, Mideast Aluminum. Arky then founded the Maark Corp. (Martha and Arky) and worked with Dick Hargrave ’51 to design and manufacture aluminum tennis rackets, including the first mass-produced oversized Prince racket. He becaome the chairman of Head Racquet Sports Worldwide and was president of Cryomed Co. He served on community boards including the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, the Princeton Day School, and the American Boychoir School. 

Arky loved singing. He founded the Witherspooners and performed in regional a cappella competitions with his wife and friends in the group Private Parts.

He died April 14, 2024, in Princeton surrounded by his family. He was predeceased by his wife. Arky is survived by his daughters, Barbara Vaughn Holmes ’82, Susan Vaughn, and Phoebe Outerbridge; and his six grandchildren.