Vaughn Dale McManus

Vaughn (Mac) Dale McManus, 91, of Vestal, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday evening, March 1, 2026, with several loving and caring family members nearby. He lived with Alzheimer’s Disease for many years. He and his wife, Bonita (Bonnie) Ann Sorg, had resided with their daughter, Jennifer (Jen), and her family since September 2015 in Vestal, New York.

Vaughn was born on Sept. 17, 1934, in Metaline Falls, Washington, to Martin Francis McManus and Bernice Pauline West. His family left the beautiful and untamed mountain area of northern Washington, where most of his extended family lived, and moved to Boring, Oregon in the Portland area, where he completed his school years at Cottrell Elementary (renamed “Cow Trail” by the students) and graduated from Sandy High School.

At 17, he joined the Navy Reserves wanting to see and explore the world. In his 27-year Navy career, his tours took him on submarines and ships in the Pacific and Atlantic, rising to Chief Petty Officer. He lived in Japan and Thailand, and was stationed at Villafranche, France; Taipei, Taiwan; Sigonella base in Sicily; New York City; Chicago; and Penn State University (ROTC program). He married in 1962 while in New York City. His family was able to travel with him for the last 17 years of his Navy career, except for one year when he was on an aircraft carrier.

He began his Navy retirement in June of 1979, and Vaughn, his wife, and three daughters settled in Scio, Oregon (20 miles from Salem) for two years. He enjoyed his position at Oregon State University, Eugene Campus at the Student Union. He wanted to show his family everything he could about Oregon and showed them the nature, plants, animals, the mountains, coast, rivers, fishing, the rocks and the people and friends and family from there.

Vaughn and his family then moved to Adamsville, Pennsylvania, to his wife’s childhood home to help with family. The girls attended high school there, and he found work with the Northwest Job Training Program in 1981. He later worked with the Monobloc can company in Wheatland, PA until retiring at age 65. He continued working part-time with Warren Sorg Surveying, assisting his brother-in-law.

In his spare time, Vaughn and Bonnie enjoyed the freedom to travel and visit family and friends around the country and world. During his post-Navy years, Vaughn expanded his many hobbies and interests, which included gardening and becoming a Master Gardener; rock hunting and collecting; polishing and cutting gemstones (which he learned in Taiwan); earning his associate degree in Wildlife Management at Penn State University and Oregon State University; raising exotic birds; and growing, collecting, and showing orchids.

Vaughn was involved in the community of Zions Reformed Church in Greenville and served as a Deacon. He was a member of the National Orchid Society, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and the Master Gardeners, participated in the Big Brother Program, became a Girl Scout, and was always willing to help someone in need.

He always valued the times spent with his daughters, extended family and grandkids sharing his hobbies and supporting their interests.  He also appreciated his long time friends from his graduating class from Sandy High school along with new friends made along the way in the Navy and all the places he lived.

As a human, Vaughn was vibrant, kind, encouraging, hardworking, accepting of all, compassionate, loyal, curious, social with everyone, rather Zen, a bit of a storyteller, and happy to surprise anyone he met with silly pranks or quirky jokes to get a laugh or a smile. he definitely was unique and not worried about conforming. He was a devoted husband and father, and just a good guy.

Along with his wife, Bonita, Vaughn is survived by his daughters: Heather Hettick and spouse, Kelly, of Creston, OH; Heidi Nangle and fiancé, Kevin Therrien, of Bedford, NH; and Jennifer McManus and Spouse, Christof Grewer of Vestal, NY. Also surviving are six grandchildren: Jade Hettick, Alex Hettick, Paul Nangle and wife Kailey, Vaughn Nangle, Calvin Grewer, and Josefine Grewer, along with extended family in the Spokane, Washington area and out West.

Vaughn was predeceased by his parents, Martin Francis McManus and Bernice Pauline West McManus of LaPine, OR; his brother Eugene Francis McManus of Ketchikan, Alaska; and his brother Frederick (Freddy) Grant McManus, who passed away at age 4½. He also leaves behind an aunt and cousins in the Spokane, Washington area.

Please express condolences online at www.SavageFS.com. There is no ceremony planned at this time, but his cremains will be interred by family at Rocky Glen Cemetery in Atlantic, PA. A celebration of life will be planned hopefully in the Summer of 2026 for family and friends. Full obituary also available at www.TiersNews.com. . Arrangements were entrusted to SAVAGE-DeMarco Funeral Service.

No flowers necessary. Memorable moments or thoughts about Vaughn are highly encouraged (below). Donations can be made in his memory to ANY of the following:

Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org

Alzheimer’s Research Foundation: https://www.alzheimersresearchfoundation.com

Guthrie Hospice (send checks): 4102 Old Vestal Rd, Vestal, NY 13850

Zions United Church of Christ, UCC (send checks): 260 Main Street, Greenville, PA 16125

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