Mariana Louise Horton was born on May 4, 1963, in Calgary, Alberta to Donald and Elydreth Horton at 10:14 p.m.

As a baby, she moved to the United States and spent her childhood moving across the Great Plains before her family settled in North Texas in 1976. At the age of 17, while at summer camp, she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. During her high school years, she was an avid member of her pep squad and choir, graduating from Abilene Cooper High School in 1981.

Mariana graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1986 and became a Registered Nurse shortly after. She loved nursing because it gave her the opportunity to share her warmth and kindness with her patients. She spent the early years of her nursing career working in the surgical center, Intensive Care Unit, and an ENT clinic before finding her true calling of caring for geriatric patients, where she spent the majority of her nursing career. Mariana also spent time training and educating younger nurses and was proud to have multiple articles published in medical magazines. 

While in school at TWU, Mariana also met her best friend, Amy Jarrard, who later introduced her to her future husband, Steve Vaughan, in December of 1987. Steve and Mariana spent the following year falling in love and were married on December 3, 1988.

They began their life with two puppies, before having two daughters, Bethany Vaughan and Rachel Vaughan. Mariana was actively involved in her daughters’ activities and in leading ministries through her church and volunteering with local charities and non-profits. In her spare time, she loved watercolor painting and reading voraciously.

In 2008, Mariana was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which aggressively progressed and deteriorated her health. Despite the numerous health complications MS caused her, she persevered with grace and dignity, and her spirit never wavered. Her area of ministry transferred from sharing the love of Jesus with those she cared for to those who were helping care for her.

Mariana is survived by her husband, Steve Vaughan, her daughter Bethany Vaughan and husband Trey Pomroy, her daughter Rachel Vaughan, her sister Kathy Meyer, numerous members of extended family, and many dear friends.