Students at Kansas University said Friday they’ll have fond memories of Shirlie Ann Vaughn, a longtime house mother at the Delta Upsilon fraternity.

“She did mean a lot to all of us,” said Brendan Camey, the fraternity’s vice president.

Vaughn, 75, died Sunday at Kansas University Hospital in Kansas City, Kan.

“The loss of her just seemed to come out of nowhere,” said Riley Voth, a fraternity pledge. “I guess we just took for granted having her here. She did so much for everybody.”

She served as a fraternity house mother at KU for three decades, including the last 24 at Delta Upsilon.

“She was always here for lunches and dinners. She helped organize things. And she was here for various parties,” said Voth, a Topeka freshman.

“I remember the last thing she said before she passed was that she needed to get back to her DU boys,” he said. “We were kind of like her second family.”

Vaughn also was a radio host for KLWN radio for many years and hosted a cooking show, “As the Potato Peels.”

She was a member and past board member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and P.E.O and a board member for KTWU-TV in Topeka. She was a Republican precinct committeewoman in Lawrence and served as campaign chairwoman for Larry Winn and Bob Dole. She was a longtime volunteer in Lawrence and served as an instructor to the blind in Kansas City.

“With great care and wisdom, Shirlie Vaughn helped guide the personal and academic lives of the young men who were in her charge,” said KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway in a prepared statement.

“In her three decades of service to KU, she touched the lives of thousands of students,” Hemenway said. “On behalf of the entire university community, I offer deep condolences to Shirlie’s family and friends.”

Services were Thursday at Christ Community Church, followed by burial in Oak Hill Cemetery.