Thomas Howard Daugherty

Tom was born January 5, 1937, in Florence Alabama, to Tom and Pearl Daugherty. He attended Coffee Junior High School in Florence where he started playing the clarinet with the senior high school band during 7th and 8th grades. He graduated from Coffee Senior High School, class of '55, winning 1st chair All State Band and lettering in band for 6 years. He then attended Auburn University, graduating class of '59, receiving his BS in Mechanical Engineering, while participating in the Auburn University Marching Band and the Army ROTC. He met and fell in love with Carol Ann Waite while a junior in high school, dating through college, and marrying in December 1959. After graduation and 6 months of active duty in the Army, Tom started work with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft as a test engineer in West Palm Beach, FL. He then transferred to CA to work on the SR-71 at Area 51, later moving to Fort Worth to work on the F-111, A-7, several helicopters, and the F-16 at General Dynamics, Carswell AFB. During his time in Fort Worth, he played in the Dallas Cowboys band and earned an MBA at TCU. After retirement, he continued playing clarinet with the Richardson and Plano community bands as well as volunteering for 20+ years with the now Medical City of Plano hospital. He and Carol also were able to travel the world during retirement, enjoying several ocean and European river cruises.

He is preceded in death by his step-grandchild Stephen Langston. He is survived by his wife Carol Daugherty, son Tom Daugherty and his wife Crissy, daughter Lisa Lawson; and 6 grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Russ Daugherty, Melody Clark, Katie Daugherty, Sam Lawson, Tim Langston, Jessica Serna; and 6 great grandchildren, Norah, Rylie, Jaxson, Cooper, Reagan, and Trinity.

A memorial service will be held at 2PM, Sunday January 19th, at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 President George Bush Turnpike, Dallas. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the American Heart Association, or any charity of your choice.