Vernon Earl Auten Jr.

Vern was born on October 25, 1958 in Torrance, Ca to Vernon Auten Sr. and Shirley A. Auten. As an infant, he was lovingly nicknamed Scooter by his maternal grandmother, Wini Simpson. While legally he was known as Vern, his family and friends still referred to him as Scooter up to the time of his passing. The Auten family moved to Manteca, Ca when Scooter was in Kindergarten. He graduated from East Union High School in Manteca, Ca in 1976. After high school, Scooter fulfilled his childhood dream to join the US Navy, where he was honorably discharged and began a lifelong career as a machinist in the plastic injection moulding industry. He was well known and highly respected for his knowledge of how to machine anything that needed machining.

Scooter was known to be a “jack of all trades and master of many”! His hobbies included fishing, hunting, gold panning, rock hounding/polishing and restoring old “stuff”. His latest restoration was a sailboat that after many months of restoration efforts, he finally finished the project and was able to spend three days on Applegate Lake near his home in Ruch the week before his passing. He was so proud of his accomplishment of the restoration and his ability to learn to sail.

Scooter is survived by his family and many friends who loved him dearly, including his wife of 25 years Wendi (Burrill), his children Tajwana (Smith), Joey (Moore), Vern Auten III, Colton Auten and his sisters JoAnn (Roberts), Lori (Don) Austin and his brother Allen Auten. Scooter also leaves behind his “adopted” children Kaci King-Fisher, Jon King, Eric Patterson, Talon McComb, 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, an aunt, uncle, brothers and sisters-in-law, his nieces, nephews and many cousins who are deeply saddened by his sudden passing. Scooter will be missed dearly by all and especially by his best friend, “Pup”. 🐾♥️ 🐾 Pup has been Scooter’s constant companion and best friend since he rescued him in 2009. Scooter was preceded in death by his mother, Shirley Auten (2002), and his father, Vern Sr. (2023).

Services are pending at the National Cemetery in Eagle Point, Oregon and details will be announced by the family soon.

The family would like to express sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and condolences for their loss. Professional services and arrangements conducted by Rogue Valley Funeral Alternatives, Medford, Oregon.