First Fandom member, Walter James "Doc" Daugherty passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Santa Maria California on June 14, 2007.

A charter member of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS), Walt was a founder of Westercon, chairman of the 1946 Pacificon World Science Fiction Convention, fanzine publisher, guest of honor or fan guest of honor at many conventions including the 1968 World Science Fiction Convention, recipient of the Evans-Freehafer Big Heart Award, and emcee for countless science fiction conventions and events.

Walt was born December 18, 1916, in a trunk in Oklahoma City, to silent film actors Lilly Mae and “Two-Gun” Monty Williams who were touring with their latest film, but the birth was never listed in the official government records due to a fire in the doctor's office. After his father died while Walt was still a baby, Walt’s mother married Jessie M. Daugherty, who adopted Walt, giving him his name, a much treasured Irish-name heritage and a birth certificate. With his sense of humor, feel for fun and love of color, Walt was certainly meant to be an Irishman.

Over the years, he worked a production control manager for large manufacturing and aircraft companies, a private detective, a motion picture stand-in and stuntman (among others for Red Skelton, Robert Hutton, even Cary Grant), a photography instructor, a photographer for both the L.A. Libraries and the L.A. Convention Center, plus magazine and custom work, and a museum curator. He retired from the City of Los Angeles, where he held two positions, Curator of the Hollywood Museum (which was never opened to the public) and Photography Instructor at the Los Angeles Photo Center.

Arrangements were in the care of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary. Donations can be made in Daugherty's name to the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society.

He is survived by his wife of over 34 years, Mary Ellen Daugherty.

Posted June 22, 2007