Lt. Colonel Gilbert "Gil" R. Daugherty

Lt. Colonel Gilbert "Gil" R. Daugherty 89, US Army Retired, of Jeffersonville, Indiana passed away September 22, 2021, in Niceville, Florida surrounded by his family. A celebration of Gil’s life will be held at Scott Funeral Home in Jeffersonville, Indiana on Friday October 8th at 12 noon. Visitation will be held Thursday October 7th from 5-8PM and prior to the service from 10-12PM at the funeral home. Inurnment will take place at a later date in the Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Madison, Indiana. 

Gil was born in Hooversville, Pennsylvania on March 13, 1932, and was raised in North Jackson, Ohio. The son of Anna and Basil Daugherty. He was a graduate of Jackson-Milton High School in 1950, where he played varsity football, basketball, and baseball and was, in his own words, "a better than average student".

He married Corynne "Connie" Colligan in August 1952 and was drafted to the United States Army shortly thereafter in November for the Korean War. Upon being drafted he was immediately selected to attend Officer Candidate School, quickly climbing the ranks to Lt. Colonel. He proudly served his country over a 22-year military career. During which he and Connie raised two sons while moving from one duty assignment to the next across the globe, everywhere from Germany, France, and England to stateside bases in Maryland, Utah, Illinois, Virginia, Fort Knox (KY) and the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant in Charlestown, Indiana where he served as commanding officer; including combat services as an officer in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War with the 9th Infantry Division (known as the "Old Reliables") where he earned the South Vietnam Service Medal with five battle stars.

In 1969, an assignment as the commanding officer of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant in Charlestown, Indiana, brought he and his family to Jeffersonville, Indiana where he would later retire after finishing out his military career commuting to Fort Knox Army Base in Kentucky. He retired a decorated Lt. Colonel in 1973 and together with his wife and their two sons began their next chapter in life in Jeffersonville.

Soon after his military career ended, he realized a childhood dream of working in radio and television when he landed his first job in the industry at WXVW 1450AM Radio in April 1975. This was a golden opportunity for him to combine his knack for writing, quick wit and wisdom, and a love of sports, music, and community involvement.

During this 32-year career in broadcast journalism he became a familiar voice to countless households in Jeffersonville, and surrounding cities, broadcasting the news and weather daily, disc-jockeying, and most known as one of the voices of Greater Louisville/Southern Indiana high school football and basketball games. He had a God-given talent at being a sports commentator and was passionate about bringing the excitement of his community's high school teams into as many homes as he could over. In 1987 he and a colleague started one of the first television production companies in the state of Indiana to air high school basketball and football games on television, broadcasting 50-60 games a year. He continued "on-air" until his second retirement in 2007. 

Throughout his life Gil was incredibly dedicated to his community, serving as one of the longest standing members and Past President of the Jeffersonville Evening Optimist Club; treasurer of the Jeffersonville Optimist Youth Foundation; Past President of the Clark County Council for Arts; named a Kentucky Colonel; and a lifetime member of the VFW and American Legion #35 in Jeffersonville. In 2008, April 29th was declared "Gil Daugherty Day" in Jeffersonville by Mayor Mike Moore in recognition of the extraordinary impact he had on the community. This philanthropic spirit followed him throughout his 89 years.  

He spent the first half of his final retirement caring for his beloved wife Connie throughout her battle with Alzheimer’s until her last breath in July 2015 after nearly 63 years together. He adored his family and was as proud a Grandpa as any, always known as each of his children and grandchildren’s "biggest fan". He was a man often described as larger-than-life and a gifted storyteller. 

His life was full to the very last minute. He had a head full of stories and jokes that he loved to share with anyone willing to listen. He was a brilliant writer and poet; a devout football fan, most especially when it came to his great-grandson Dayna who plays for the University of Louisville; an experienced golfer playing well into his 80s. He was a musician and played the organ and loved big band music. He was skilled at crossword puzzles, working on one every single day (to keep his brain sharp he said). He loved the color orange, warm beer with lemonade (because as he’d say, “that's how they do it in Germany”), calling bingo and running card games in the retirement communities he lived in, and most of all making people smile and laugh.

In 2018 he moved to Niceville, Florida to live close to his youngest granddaughter Erin and her family where she was stationed in the U.S. Air Force. He would spend his final years as a proud Floridian enjoying dinners and regular visits with his grandkids, warm weather, painting acrylic canvases, going to bingo, happy hours, and maintained a generally busy social life while living independently in a senior living community with dear friends Sue, Jim, and countless others who became like family to him.

He is survived by his son Jerry (Robyn) Daugherty of Six Lakes, Michigan; daughter-in-law Sue Daugherty; granddaughters Amanda (Gary) Kinnaird of Jeffersonville, Indiana; U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Erin (Michael David) Brack of Norman, Oklahoma; Alice Miller of Jeffersonville, Indiana; Jessica (Victor) Romine of Six Lakes, Michigan; and his adored great-grandchildren Dayna K Kinnaird, 22; Michael Ayden Brack, 15; Ashlynn Kay Brack, 13; and Skyler Eve Fulks, 12; Maddox Grace Romine,3; his beloved siblings Barbara (Tom) Kreidler; Harry (Linda) Daugherty; Doris (Dale) Waller; Daniel (Charlene) Daugherty; Gayle (Paul) Young; as well as Sister-in-law Linda Warner and her family. And a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends from across the country. 

He is preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Corynne "Connie" Lee Daugherty; his son Richard "Rick" Edward Daugherty; and his mother, father, and sister Sally (Roddy) Lutes.

In lieu of flowers and in keeping with the way in which Gil lived his life the family is asking that donations be made in Gil Daugherty’s memory to the Alzheimer's Association, an organization he passionately supported after his wife was diagnosed in 2005. At http://act.alz.org/goto/Gil_Daugherty

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