Mervo track coach William Vaughan had a soft, almost high-pitched voice that made me laugh. I relished hearing it at every meet that I covered. I'll miss it.

Vaughan died at 41 Tuesday after complications from pneumonia. He had been suffering from kidney failure in recent months and was awaiting a donor.

Track meets are a challenge to cover because they are basically organized chaos. Vaughan always helped me sort out the chaos. I’d ask him: “What time will we be finished and what do I need to know?” He was almost always right in his answers.

Vaughan cared deeply about his team and the sport in general. He showed up to run the computers at meets of every level, including meets that didn't involve Mervo. His mission was to get his athletes (he coached the girls but also worked with boys) and others opportunities in life through track -- just like former Mervo girls track coach Ron Neal, who died three years ago nine days after suffering a stroke at the state meet. He was 47. Two tragic losses in a short span.

For all the times we talked and worked together, however, I never really got to know Vaughan. I wish I did. One night last spring, I got an IM from “Pookietiming.” It was Vaughan. He asked how I was doing and then casually mentioned that he was sick. I asked if he had the flu. Kidney trouble, he said. Then he paused. I asked what was wrong. Was it an infection? He told me it was much more serious and that he was going on dialysis. I didn’t know what to say.

We communicated by IM several days later, and Vaughan said he was on the list for a kidney transplant and was getting weaker. He tried to contact me several days later, but I missed him. I meant to call him back but kept forgetting. We never spoke again.

Out of habit, I’ll probably look for him the next few times I’m at a meet. I’m sure he’ll be there in spirit, becasue there was no place he was more at home at than on a track.

Jeff Seidel