James Lee Daugherty

At the break of dawn on Friday, May 2nd, 2025, we lost our ‘Rock’ – our husband and father – James Lee Daugherty – to a probable sudden cardiac arrest.

He was 79.

Born on July 23rd, 1945 in Oil City, he was the son of the late Julia Ardelle Wilbert and James Edwin Eugene Daugherty.

With his passing, he is now reunited with his three brothers – Bill, Tom, and Scott – with whom he had operated the family real estate business known as Daugherty Brothers Real Estate.  The business was started by their father in 1943.

Jim began in real estate at the age of 18.  During the course of 60 years, he helped numerous people buy and sell properties throughout Venango County.

Getting to know and help people was his greatest passion.  The only thing that derailed him from continuing to operate his two offices was the onset of Myasthenia Gravis in 2023.

Many people knew Jim as a very serious and dedicated business professional.  However, he had a sly, witty, and dry sense of humor.  He loved to surprise family and friends with his ‘Santa Hat’. During the holidays, he would pop it on top of his head and grin as colored lights flashed around the perimeter and a tall cone dashed - this way and that - all over his head, to a ridiculously goofy Christmas tune.  His love for the laughs that this hat received is one of our fondest memories.

Jim liked to surprise people with unique and unexpected gifts.  He was the best Gift-Giver!  He, also, had a Wicked Sweet Tooth.  Everyone knew this.  He could not pass up any dessert.  In fact, if you had dessert in front of you and turned your back to him, often when you focused your attention back, you found your dessert plate missing!  He would steal it away (but you always got it back with a wink!)

Jim was married to his High School Sweetheart – Janet Kay Smith – on June 5, 1965.  They had met on the bus transporting them to their Senior Trip.  This year would have marked their 60th Wedding Anniversary. As Kay says, they were a ‘Unit’. It was as if they were one person.  She and their daughter, Kelly, survive him.

Jim served on many organizations during the course of his career, including the Kiwanis Club, Venango County Planning Commission, and the UPMC Northwest Board of Directors.  He enjoyed meeting and getting to know the many people he served with.  Some became close friends. Jim was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Oil City.  He formed many strong bonds with members of the congregation.

Also surviving Jim are the following family members;  his sister-in-law, Kathy Daugherty; nephew, Todd Daugherty, and four nieces: Jenny Mumford (Andy), Ashley Daugherty DuPont (Jake), Alyssa Matrukhovic (Yury), and Hollie Daugherty (Ryan Matteo). They have lovingly circled around us in support, during our time of sorrow.  We love and cherish every one of them.  Jim is smiling on us from Heaven.

The family will privately honor the life of Jim.

We wish to wholeheartedly thank the people who helped us on Friday:  The members of the Community Ambulance Service, Oil City Fire Department and Rescue 7 -who worked diligently on Jim - and the Oil City Police Department for providing such compassionate care of Kay.

Jim’s arrangements have been entrusted to Hile-Best Funeral Home in Seneca, PA.   To express online condolences to Jim's family, visit www.hilebest.com

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