Charles Michael Daughtry

Charles Michael Daughtry, age 69, of Sun City West, Arizona passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2023. It is with heavy hearts we inform you that Charles Michael Daughtry of Sun City West, Arizona passed away on January 28th, 2023 at the age of 69 years old. He was born on May 29th, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. His family moved during his childhood to Denton, Texas where he remained into his early adulthood. His childhood was spent riding his bicycle around town and out in the countryside, playing baseball, and going on adventures with his little sister Sheila and his friends. He was different from most other kids, having freckles and bright red hair, and was bullied by children and adults alike, but he overcame those challenges with a sharp wit and an infectiously upbeat personality. Looking different and being from a Northeastern Catholic family abruptly transplanted to the Jim Crow South deeply informed his views of humanity early in life. He saw all good people as beautiful, inside and out, and had no room in his heart for hate. After serving his country, including a stint in Sinop, Turkey, which inspired a lifelong love of travel, he moved to Oregon with his family, where he met his wife and studied at the University of Oregon’s Charles H. Lundquist College of Business, where he received his Bachelor of Science. He went on to receive his MBA from Washington State University in 1991 while working full time and fathering his toddler sons. He worked as an accountant for the Washington State School for the Blind, followed by the Port of Vancouver for years, and subsequently served as General Manager of the Port of Cascade Locks in the 2000s and held the post of Executive Director for the Columbia County Economic Team in St. Helens, Oregon in the 2010s. No position was ever a stepping stone for him. He threw his heart and soul into every role he held and made a name for himself as a man who got results He was actively involved throughout his career in the economic development of geographically underserved communities. The city of Cascade Locks, Oregon was struggling when he came onboard as General Manager of the port in the early 2000s. He started racking up wins early on, getting the financially hemorrhaging Sternwheeler into the hands of the Portland Spirit and ensuring a steady revenue for the port for years to come. He attracted private investment and development through leasing port held lands, many of which had gone unused for years. If you’re ever in the area, treat yourself to a nice, cold beer at the Thunder Island Brewery and take a stroll down Main Street. Marvel at the storefronts and gorgeous new neighborhoods sprouting up everywhere. He and those who walked alongside him planted those trees bearing today's fruit, and they will no doubt continue to blossom for years to come. Failure wasn’t a word in his vocabulary. His work in Cascade Locks included years spent seeking State approval for a casino to be built and administered by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs within the community. It never happened under his watch, but through his time working with the tribe and many summer trips with his family to Warm Springs and their Kah-Nee-Ta resort, he developed a profound love for the tribes and a deep appreciation for their cultures. He never stopped believing in them. He saw in them a steadfast resolve and perseverance in the face of obstacles that would have crushed himself, and he never stopped believing in their bright future. Believe with us as our beloved believed in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Believe in that bright, shining future. He closed out his career as Executive Director of the Columbia County Economic Team in St. Helens, Oregon. It was a wild ride and one filled with many accomplishments. His office played a part in many exciting developments, such as the extension of Rightline Equipment, bringing in Cascade Tissues, the Columbia County Tourism Initiative, the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center, and the Keep It Local campaign. He had a blast drawing close to his years of serving local communities with a bang. He is preceded in death by his father, John Henry Daughtry, and his mother, Mary Frances Daughtry He is survived by his wife, Julie Ann Venice Daughtry, his adult children, Sarah, Sean, and Michael, his sister. Sheila, his niece Heather, and his grandnieces Ruby and Maisy, as well as a large extended family of cousins and second cousins living all over the United States. When his wife fell ill with an incurable degenerative disease, he made it his mission to ensure she would have the resources she needed to thrive in the event she outlived him. They faced unimaginable hardships together as her disease progressed. When asked by his son, Michael, how he found the strength and the resolve to soldier on, no less with a smile on his face, he said he wasn’t joking when he recited the vows "in sickness and in health". He was just the kind of guy who dedicated himself to people in that way. He was a wonderful son, brother, phenomenal father to his three children, not to mention an avid golfer, and an Oregon Ducks superfan. GO DUCKS! Raising a family together with Julie was his greatest joy in life. He loved being involved in and encouraging the passions and dreams of his children. He loved mentoring people; helping them see what they were truly capable of. We owe a debt of gratitude to him, family and friends alike, for who we are and where we are today. He was fearlessly gregarious and made many friends throughout his lifetime. The heavens could be pouring rain and crackling with thunder. His children could have spilled milk on the floor. Lady Luck could be kicking his rear up and and down the street. It didn’t matter. The sun always shined in his heart. We will all miss him greatly. Our family would like to thank all of his friends, carers, and staff with the hospital, hospice, and care home he spent his final days in for the kindness and compassion they showed our beloved in his final days. We couldn’t have made it through this without you and are eternally grateful for everything you did for him and for us. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to the Warm Springs Community Action Team, or alternatively, consider establishing your own connection and partnership with the community. Either way, you will be investing in an exciting future full of promise. You will forever shine in our hearts, Chester.