James Dougherty Obituary

James Robert Bob Dougherty

Bob Dougherty, 92, of Tiffin, passed away the morning of Sunday, May 4, 2025.

He was born June 25, 1932, in Grafton, West Virginia, the 14th of 15 children, to John and Velma (Eyler) Dougherty. On July 21, 1957, he married Diane Sweet, an only child, and their union lasted over 64 years before she preceded him in death January 21, 2021.

Survivors include his daughter, Jennifer (Robert) Dennis of Palm Harbor, Florida; son, Gary (Lori McKenzie) Dougherty of Powell; three grandchildren, Andrew Dennis of Dunedin, Florida, Molly (Lewie) Hughes of Canal Winchester, and Sarah (Devyn Jones) Dougherty of Columbus; one great-granddaughter, Lainey Shea Jones.

Bob was also preceded in death by his parents; 12 sisters, Madeleine Fletcher, Mary Ellen Mahaffey, Margaret Jenkins, Bernadine Waters, Catherine Menear, Grace Rogers, Theresa (Tootie) McDaniel, Ruth Dougherty, June Lee Dougherty, Pat Hyett, Helenamae Baugh, and Jerry Vogel; and two brothers, John Dougherty and Tom Dougherty. He leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Bob graduated in 1951 from St. Augustine High School in Grafton, West Virginia, before entering the U.S. Navy in 1951. He ended his service in 1955 as a Petty Officer Third Class during the Korean War. He often joked that, whereas he was stationed in such exotic locations as Port Lyautey, Morocco (where his group was the first to occupy a new communications center) and Naples, Italy, he never once stepped foot on a ship other than the troop ship that brought him to Africa. He and his crewmates were tethered down for the eight-day trip through heavy storms that didn't even allow him to be up on deck. He took great pride in his military service and enjoyed the recognition he received whenever he wore his Korea Veteran hat, which was all the time! He particularly enjoyed his trips with fellow veterans to Washington, DC, on a 2013 Honor Flight and an Honor Bus tour in 2024.

After his discharge, he followed two of his sisters to Chillicothe for a job that fell through. He then followed another sister to Tiffin, where he worked as a machinist at National Machinery for 38 years.

Bob was heavily involved in his community. He and Diane were fixtures at The Ritz Theatre, particularly after the renovation project that restored it to its near-original condition in 1998. They were inducted into The Ritz Theatre Hall of Fame in 2009. Bob also performed in a number of Ritz Theatre productions. One of his favorite tasks was picking up celebrities who were performing at the Ritz and driving them to Tiffin. Among the entertainers he met were John Amos, Lou Rawls, Glen Campbell, the Smothers Brothers, Tony Orlando, and Jeff Foxworthy. After Diane's passing, Bob continued to volunteer in the box office, building sets for plays, and doing general handyman tasks throughout the building. Bob was the "Iron Man" of volunteers, having accumulated more than 16,000 volunteer hours at the Ritz. He could often be found at the Ritz, spending time with the staff and volunteers who were like family to him.

Actively involved with the Boy Scouts of America for more than 30 years, he earned several awards, including the Catholic Scouting St. George Emblem (1981) and the Silver Beaver Award (1982), the highest recognition given by the former Put-Han-Sen Area Council of Boy Scouts.

Bob enjoyed many adventures including cruising the Panama Canal with Jennifer and her husband, as well as visiting the Field of Dreams with Gary. He loved his fishing trips to Canada with long-time friend Dave Fodor.

Bob was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and enjoyed woodworking, coffee with friends, watching "Casablanca" (over and over!), and being a fan of Cleveland and Ohio State sports teams.

Many times, we've heard people say Bob was the father or grandfather they never had and his family is proud to share him with so many people whose lives have been positively affected by knowing him. He also carried on Diane's tradition of making an ice cream cake to celebrate their granddaughters' birthdays. His last cake was to celebrate Lainey's first birthday April 24.

Bob didn't like to talk about himself, so there are many stories that will remain untold, but his family would enjoy hearing your stories of how he impacted the lives of those who knew him best. They welcome you to attend calling hours from 11:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Hoffmann-Gottfried-Mack Funeral Home, his funeral will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the same location. Burial, with full military honors, will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Ritz Theatre, St. Joseph Catholic Church, or SouthernCare Hospice.

Condolences may be sent and the guestbook signed at www.hgmackfuneralhome.com.