Reverend Roy Daugherty
1938 -- 2006
Outstanding man, friend,
and community leader
Reverend
Roy Vernon Daugherty of the Coal Creek community of Anderson County, Tennessee
passed away on February 16, 2006 at 11:25 a.m. after a courageous fight
against cancer. Rev. Daugherty was born in Logan, West Virginia on January
16, 1938. He served in the Air Force for twelve years beginning in 1955 and
was stationed at the Briceville Radar Station which was built on Cross
Mountain as an early warning station in case of enemy attack on Oak
Ridge. He met his dear wife, Della Vowell Daugherty while stationed in
Coal Creek. Della and Roy left the Coal Creek area and were stationed in
Massachusetts, New Jersey, Germany, and Ohio. They lived in Michigan and
returned to the Coal Creek community in 1971 with their four children.
He was a
member of the First Baptist Church of Briceville. He was the former pastor
of Briceville Community Church. He received degrees from Liberty Bible
Institute and Bethany Bible College and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He and
his wife ministered to the homeless in Knoxville’s Market Square for many
years.
Rev.
Daugherty was a model of inspiration and good examples. As a founding
member of the volunteer Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, Inc., he had a
tremendous impact for the good in our lives, but most importantly, in the
community. A few of his efforts in the last few years have included:
Flood
prevention – organizing Deadwood Removal Days to get volunteers to clear
dammed bridges to reduce flooding; creek bank stabilization projects, which
won a national award from FEMA; illegal trash dump clean-up, which won
TDEC’s 2002 Aquatic Resource Preservation Award;
restoring the historic
Briceville Church built by Welsh miners in 1800s – Recently listed on the
National Register of Historic Places; renewing interest in the
rich coal
mining history to encourage jobs through tourism; recruiting health and
dental care for the children and community; teaching children the value of
staying in school and going to college to be able to take care of themselves
and their community; restoration of the old
Briceville Ball Park
for the
children and families to have a safe gathering place; teaching hunter safety
training classes and safety regulations for ATV; organizing neighborhood
watch program to discourage illegal trash dumping, burglaries, and meth
labs. Rev. Daugherty was recognized by the Tennessee State Senate by
Resolutions for his efforts to improve his community. Rev.
Roy also led
the very special memorial
service at the 100th anniversary of the Fraterville Mine
Disaster. In 2003, he was named Anderson County hero
for his volunteer work that made a difference every day in the lives of
Anderson County residents.
Roy teaching the youth of Coal Creek
about community service as they worked
to restore the old Briceville Ball Park
The most impressive characteristic of Rev. Daugherty is that he was unselfish in his desire to improve the quality of life in the Coal Creek watershed. Even when his actions and decisions were not popular with the whole community, he had the courage to do what was right for the safety and betterment of the community and a better future for its children and citizens.
Rev. Daugherty was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, and seven brothers. He leaves behind his wife of 49 years, Della, and their daughters, Debra Lynn West & husband Curtis of Clarksville, Teresa Ann Daugherty of Clinton, Patricia Maria Williams and husband Charlie of Joyner, and son Roy Joseph Daugherty and wife Angie of Oak Ridge, nine grandchildren and six great grand children.