Rann Lawton Vaulx

Rann Lawton Vaulx of Blountville, TN passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday afternoon, April 17, 2025, at the age of 86. Born on October 26, 1938, in Memphis, TN, Rann was the only child of the late Sam Fenner Vaulx, Jr. and the late Josephine Lawton Vaulx. He grew up in Pine Bluff, AR forming lifelong bonds rooted in family and love.

Rann graduated from Pine Bluff High School and went to Southwestern College (which later became Rhodes College) in Memphis on an honors scholarship. He received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Chemistry from Southwestern in 1960. He then went to Duke University graduate school in Durham, NC, on a graduate assistance scholarship based on grades. He worked with Dr. C.R. Houser while at Duke, graduating in 1964 with a PhD in Organic Chemistry.

Post graduation from Duke, Rann moved to Kingsport, TN to work at Tennessee Eastman Company. He took great pride in working with others. He had a high respect for his lab assistants and process operators, and treasured their help. While at Eastman, the company created the polyester that is used to make the green 2-Liter and 20 oz. bottles that we see on store shelves today. There was a problem with the dye/color leaching into the liquids that no one was able to remedy. Rann successfully solved the problem by creating a formula that prevented any leaching of the green coloring into the bottle’s contents. His success is still evidenced today by the millions of sodas consumed annually out of green plastic bottles all around the world. He left Eastman in the mid 1980’s and intended to be a consultant with other industries but enjoyed traveling, especially with his mother and father and never pursued a consultant career.

Rann was an avid book collector and loved reading. His love for books came from his father and grandfather from whom he inherited the beginnings of his large personal library. He did pursue several hobbies such as having two Tennessee Walking horses and becoming involved in the Kingsport Horse Riding Club serving for several years as chairman and treasurer. He self-taught himself how to restore the player action in player pianos and did this for some time until he suffered a stroke in February of 1995. He appreciated classical music and served on the Board of Directors of the Kingsport Symphony Orchestra. He also had a great interest in the history of this area and became very involved in multiple local and regional Historical Societies. He was very active in the Deery Inn project in Blountville, serving faithfully there for years as a benefactor, restorer, and a historian. His goal was to show people how important this area is historically. In 2004 Rann purchased Yancey’s Tavern, one of the oldest houses in the state of Tennessee which has been listed on the National Register of Historical Places since 1973. This property has a spring which runs under the road and has the only known stone culvert still in existence in the entire state of Tennessee. The Tavern was in pathetic ruins when purchased by Rann and in jest he could be heard saying, “I needed this like I needed another stroke.” One year later his restoration efforts were complete and Yancey’s Tavern stands today as a living history museum which will serve to educate future generations about this area’s importance to the history of our nation. He was a multitalented person and drew the plans of his home with the knowledge of the furnishings he would inherit from his family in Pine Bluff, AR. He loved to entertain and designed his home to accommodate not only the furnishings that he would inherit but to host elegant dinner parties.

Another “sink hole of money” was when he purchased a 1934 Rolls Royce that was originally owned by the Dutchess of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. When the 7’ tall car arrived, it was not running as the transmission was disassembled and delivered in boxes. Rann managed to find a mechanic, a mechanical engineer workplace friend, to work on this project and restored it. Oh, the looks he would get when he took it out on the interstate for a spin. After having it several years, he received a phone call from the 15th Duke of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England, Lord Tavistock, asking if he would be interested in selling it to him. He was the great-grandson of the Dutchess of Bedford who was the original owner. Rann did sell it to Lord Tavistock and when it arrived at Woburn Abbey castle, Lord Tavistock got into the car, cranked it, backed it out of the trailer and drove it up to Woburn Abbey where it now resides on display. Several years later Rann and his mother took a trip to England and were invited by Lord Tavistock to come to the castle for a tour and have lunch. They were met at the train station by a gentleman who drove them in that very 1934 Rolls Royce to the family entrance of Woburn Abbey. They had a wonderful lunch with Lord Tavistock and several of his family members. After lunch while on a tour through the castle, they came upon a display case containing silver trawls. There was one missing with a card that stated, “Withdrawn for Service” and were told that the missing trawl was the one used at their lunch to serve them their baked Alaska. They were assured that it would be cleaned and polished before being placed back into the display case.

Rann is survived by a cousin, Larry Beisel, Jr. (Patty), Indiana, and many dear friends who have served as his extended family members. There will be a Celebration of Life service on Friday April 25, 2025 at Cassidy Methodist Church, 5801 Memorial Blvd., Kingsport, TN from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with the Rev. Dr. Tom Hancock officiating at the 7 p.m. service. Rann has requested to be buried in the family plot in Graceland Cemetery, Pine Bluff, AR next to his Grandmother Vaulx with the ashes of two of his beloved pet dogs, Lucky and Misty, placed in the casket with him.

Rann lived a wonderful life full of many rich friendships and adventures. He will be remembered for his love of knowledge, antiques, and adventure. Rann has left an imprint on each person with whom he came in contact. He will be missed for many reasons, one of which will be his immense knowledge and ability to share information with others in a very informative and interesting way.

Those of us left to treasure his memory would like to thank Gentiva Hospice and Cornerstone Caregivers for their loving care given to him, enabling Rann to stay in his beloved home.