Verna Louise Daughtry was born in Granite, Oklahoma on April 23, 1934 to Fitzhugh and Mamie Oldfield Vaughan, a family deeply rooted in Christian faith. Hugh was a minister and farmer.
She attended Harding Academy in Searcy, Arkansas. On a visit home, she met a handsome, young guest preacher, Richard Daughtry. They corresponded and were married June 30,1952 in Altus, Oklahoma where he was a youth minister. This began her fifty-eight year journey as a busy minister’s wife. Her sisters Fern and Lois married preachers as well.
Dick and Verna served many loving Church of Christ congregations: Altus, Oklahoma; Amherst, Texas, (where daughter Dawn was born); Vernon, Texas; Chickasha, Oklahoma, (where daughter Debra was born); Columbus Avenue Church of Christ in Waco; University Avenue Church of Christ in Austin; Manhattan Church of Christ in New York City and The Hills Church of Christ in Richland Hills, Texas.
Verna was very artistic and creative. She and a close friend from church started a business designing and making dresses in Waco. She was always involved in an art project. Verna and Dick loved to travel and combined this passion with their dedication to ministry. They worked at the New York World’s Fair and led Campaigns for Christ to Scotland. They also led many groups on tours of Europe and the Holy Lands.
For thirty years Verna worked managing dental offices in Austin, New York City, and Dallas. She surrounded herself with art and music, and enjoyed collecting beautiful treasures. She was an Anglophile, an avid reader, and loved antiquing. She deeply cared for her beloved pets, and all animals.
She especially loved her family – and took great pride in her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Upon Dick’s passing Verna moved to Prosper, Texas and lived next door to Debra’s family for eleven years, where they took excellent care of her.
Her strong faith in Jesus was utmost in her life and gave her strength and comfort until her life’s end.
Verna was preceded in death by her father and mother, Hugh and Mamie Vaughan, husband Richard Daughtry and daughters Jan and Ann Daughtry. Also, sisters Alice Vaughan, Lois Vines and Fern Thornton.
Left to cherish Verna’s memory are daughters Dawn Luther and husband Jeff of Tuscola, Texas; Debra and husband Eric of Prosper, Texas; sister-in-law Peggy Parker of Tyler, Texas; grandchildren Ashley and JC Timmons, Jade and Sterling Wylie, Taylor, Casey and Lexi Bomar; and great-grandchildren Penelope, Violet and LachlanTimmons.
A funeral service will be held at 10.00 a.m., Friday, April 2, 2021, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 8520 Main St., Frisco, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will take place on Saturday, April 3, 2021, at Granite City Cemetery in Granite, Oklahoma
Memorial donations may be made to Boles Children’s Home.