David Ballard Daugherty

David Ballard Daugherty passed away peacefully on January 6th, 2022 at the age of 95 in Naples, Florida. David was born December 4th, 1926 in Port Arthur, Texas. He was the son of James Purnell Daugherty and Dorothy Lee Daugherty. David grew up in Woodbury, NJ and Swarthmore, PA and graduated from Swarthmore High School on D-Day in 1944. A day later at the age of 17, David enlisted in the US Army, where he served as a Technical Sergeant in World War II in Aomori, northern Honshu Island, Japan as part of the US Military Government occupational forces. Upon returning from the Army, he worked as a Merchant Marine Seaman on the Sun Oil tanker while awaiting admission to University of Virginia.

David attended the University of Virginia, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Commerce in 1950 and was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity and many honorary fraternities for academic achievement. As an esteemed alumni of fifty years, he was inducted into the Thomas Jefferson Society of Alumni at University of Virginia. In 1951, he earned his Master of Business Administration with a specialty in foreign trade and economics from the Wharton Graduate School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he joined a small vanilla importing company in Philadelphia, PA where he started his career as a vanilla bean importer and distributer. It was here where he met his wife, Shirley, in 1953 and began a long, loving marriage. Throughout his 42 year career with Zink & Triest Company, David rose to General Partner, then President and CEO and was known as “the vanilla king” around the world. He frequently traveled to Madagascar, Indonesia, and the Comoros Islands and was a leader of many milestones in the vanilla bean import industry. For example, as a man of many firsts, he was the first American businessman to purchase vanilla beans directly from a Malagasy vanilla exporter instead of purchasing through the French, who controlled the industry at the time. In both his personal life and business reputation, he was respected and admired for his trustworthiness, accountability, and intelligence.

David and Shirley resided and raised a family in Pipersville, PA before retiring to Naples, FL. In his leisure time, David enjoyed travel, golf, and his family. He was a member of Doylestown Country Club in Pennsylvania and Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, FL. David was proud of his Irish heritage and enjoyed traveling to Ireland to golf and trace his family roots. He was a generous, joyful, loyal, and kind-hearted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. His contagious laughter and smile will be missed. A man renowned for his patriotism, meticulous attention to detail, and enthusiastic personality, David left a memorable impact on everyone blessed enough to meet him.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Shirley R. Daugherty, of Naples, FL, his daughter Debra McCarthy, of Naples FL, sons Douglas Daugherty of Buckingham, PA and Daniel Daugherty and wife Jessica, of Pipersville, PA. And five grandchildren Kevin McCarthy and wife Sarah, Kasey Notdurft (McCarthy) and husband Matthew, Kelly Bennett (McCarthy) and husband Oliver, Kiley McCarthy, and David Daugherty.

Due to his love of UVA, David’s final resting place will be at the University of Virginia Columbarium in Charlottesville, VA. A celebration of life with family and friends will be held at a later date.

David Ballard Daugherty, age 95, of Naples, Florida passed away on Thursday, January 6, 2022. David was born December 4, 1926.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hodgesfhatnaplesmg.com for the Daugherty family.