Imogene “Jean” Marie Daugherty, 98 years, 9 months, and 12 days old, passed peacefully to Heaven on December 23, 2023, at Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare Center in Ava, MO after a brief illness, with her family by her side. She had lived independently until the last two weeks of her life.
Jean was born March 11, 1925, in Silver City, Iowa to William “Bill” and Minnie Belle (Miller) McGill. She was the seventh of nine children.
Jean grew up attending a two-room schoolhouse at the Walnut Grove School in Douglas County.
On December 16, 1955, Jean and Leonard Daugherty were united in marriage at Mansfield, MO and together they raised three children, Barbara, Janet and Wendell. Later in their lives, George Dale and his family were accepted as members of the family.
Jean worked as a waitress earlier in her life and worked at the Highway House Café during that time. In the 1960’s she went to work at Rawlings in Ava and worked there for many years until she retired. After their retirement, both Jean and Leonard worked for the U.S. Forestry Service for several years. Following Leonard’s death Jean then worked at Ava Head Start.
Jean loved to go, visit, and dance. She had been in all 48 contiguous United States and she had also been in England and France. Her home was always opened to family, friends, and friends of family and friends. Jean and Leonard’s kids oftened had school friends spend nights in the Daugherty home.
Jean was saved at a revival at Spring Creek General Baptist Church in 1963. However, she attended many churches over the years and was currently attending Diggins Baptist Church with her daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Dennie Whittaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard in 1998; three brothers, Howard Clyde, Cleo and Claude “Buck” McGill; three sisters, Frieda Fletcher, Sybil Haynes and Mert Schoening; accepted son, George Dale and grandson-in-law, Anthony Brantley.
Jean is survived by her children and their spouses, Barbara and Dennie Whittaker, Janet and Ray Davis and Wendell and Linda Daugherty; grandchildren, Matthew (Tracy) Davis, Belena Brantley, Mavie (Justin) Busboom, Pam (Kirk) Wormington and Kenneth (Sandy) Whittaker; great grandchildren, Ethan, Eli, Izzy, and Owen Davis, Aislynn, Alaina, and Aidan Brantley, Nicole McKnight, Kimberly Hull, Alex Whittaker, Dalton Alexander; great great grandchildren, Gunner, Hudson, Kase, Kyra, Kyleigh, and Weston; two sisters, Mary Jones and Mabel Everett; and by many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and numerous friends.
Funeral services for Jean will be Thursday, December 28, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, MO with burial following in the Ava Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday at 1:00 P.M. Officiating will be Pastor Wendell Daugherty, Pastor Sue Clayton and Pastor Gary Dedmon. Memorials may be made to Spring Creek Cemetery or Three Rivers Hospice, Mtn. Grove, MO.
