LaVaughn (Coughenour) Roberts

LaVaughn (Coughenour) Roberts, 96, of Rostraver Twp. started a new journey on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Her ministry on Earth was complete, and although her body grew weaker, her mind remained clear and her spirit was strong. LaVaughn's faith and love were the foundation of her life. She was very aware that God had a beautiful place prepared for her to reunite with those who have passed before her. LaVaughn was a lifelong member of the Community of Christ Church. She knelt next to her bed in prayer, every single day, until her body was unable to do so. From that time on, although she could no longer kneel, she always continued to pray.

After graduating from Donora High School, she was hired as a bookkeeper at Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company on the North Side of Pittsburgh. She was quite the fashionista. At that time she met her first husband, Alan Woodward, a welder at the company. They had one son, Robert "Woody" "Bobby" Woodward. After Alan's death, LaVaughn and Bobby moved to Iowa to continue her education attending Graceland College. She later attended California State Teachers College in California, PA.

Through the church, LaVaughn was introduced to Gordon Roberts, a widower with 4 little girls; Margie Ference (Dan), Donna Tirpak (Mickey), Debbie Little (Jim) and Karen Dunseath (Mitch). After meeting Gordon, she fell in love with her soulmate. They had 5 children at their wedding. Ten months later, Nancy Holliday (Glen) was born. Their home was filled with all the noise and commotion of raising a house full of children. Never a blended family, just family!

LaVaughn had a love for her family that was unparalleled and was demonstrated any time she spoke of her family.

Vacations to the beach, family picnics, and church camps at Temple Grove with her family created incredible memories filled with laughter and love. She was a homemaker and devoted wife, and she spent her life caring for those she loved. She cherished every moment spent with her nieces, nephew, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her life was filled with immeasurable joy and love from her entire family and their spouses.LaVaughn had many passions. She was strong willed and independent, and she was the vivacious driver of 'the beauty bus' for many years. She was the queen of glitter, glue, flowers and making wreaths. While at Mon Valley Care Center, her ministry was creating wreaths to pass out to other patients, workers and families. She was like Oprah, "You get a wreath, you get a wreath and you get a wreath." She formed special bonds with the other residents and those who cared for her and spoke of them with great affection. Her family will always be grateful for the kindness, compassion, and love they showed her during her time there.

She has been reunited with her parents, William and LaVada (Hughes) Coughenour, her siblings, Don, Sam, Melvin, Alma, and Dorothy, her husband Gordon, and her children, Bobby and Karen. 

Friends will be received on Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the James C. Stump Funeral Home Inc., 580 Circle Drive, Rostraver Township (724-929-7934) www.jamesstumpfuneralhome.com where a Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. with Elder Carl Hughes officiating. Interment will follow in Fells Cemetery.