02/19/2026
William Bruce Daugherty Jr, 51, of West Terre Haute, Indiana passed away on February 4, 2026.
Born on January 24th 1974 in Terre Haute to William Bruce Daugherty Sr and Debra Kay Daugherty. BJ lived a life defined by many things, the main things being the love he had for his family, especially his wife and children. He had a close bond to both his brothers, Shawn and Dru. They always had their unique moments that never failed to start with fun and games, then led to words exchanged until somebody inevitably in fact got hurt….But when they disagreed they handled it together then put it away, always having each other's backs no matter what in the end. BJ never failed to remind both of them, though, that he was the oldest brother, and used his own mistakes to try and teach them a better way. He didn’t always succeed in those lessons, but they always looked up to him and appreciated it even when he was out of line or coming on too strong and “trying to be like dad” as they’d say. As adults they all somewhat went separate ways, but still remained just close enough they never really lost touch. They both on occasion would come stay with BJ during certain times in their lives, because even when BJ was too loud, he was the voice and support they knew they needed at the time. BJ spent most of his life trying to be the man he thought his father wanted him to be. He looked up to his dad and held him in the highest standard as an example of the successful man Bj so desperately wanted to be. In adulthood BJ realized his dad loved and respected him regardless of his success. Bruce was in fact very proud indeed and all he had to be was just B. BJ never failed to joke with his brothers and any other boy that loved his mom so deeply, calling them all “tittie babies”, laughing so hard even though he was probably the biggest mama’s boy of them all. Missy took joy in calling him the very thing he loved calling his brothers and son or friends. The boys would argue about who moms favorite was. Roasting each other endlessly through the years. Debbie cherished moments shared with her boys, talked about how they all needed their backs tickled to go to sleep or a story read more than once and of course Debbie was happy to do so to spend time with her baby boys. The year BJ and Missy moved back wasn’t for a happy reason, but you could see the joy in Debbje’s heart knowing how happy it was for her because it surrounded her with all the people who loved her and Debbie loved when her boys and family were all together with her. When BJ moved away to California, he had a day that he basically made law. Fridays were the day he called home to mama. They would end up talking every Friday, and did so the entire 14 years he was gone in California and Arizona. They both looked forward to it, and they rarely missed a week the whole time he was gone. He rides on his motorcycle for his wind therapy. He often referred to his bike as his mistress. That time was very important to him. Sometimes he’d need time to himself. But the days Missy hopped on with him, those were different, and quite special to him. They would frequently go for short rides, but his favorites were the long rides. Especially the ones that took them to another state or down the Pacific Coast.. But on every ride, short or long, he loved holding her leg and feeling her behind him, sometimes holding on tight, other times he could see her smile in the mirror and she loved just being with him and loved that he loved her. They sometimes were closest when on a ride. The way they could speak without using words was sometimes easier for them to connect. It was something special and it was only theirs. When Zoe and Des would go for rides with dad, you could never see him more happy and proud, and when Ben took his first ride it was like BJs bucket list was complete. He was full of total delight and when he saw how much Ben would love to ride he was the proudest father in the world. The day Ben rode his first motorcycle, his mom noticed his sitting stance on his bike was exactly the same as his dads. He’s also remembered for his horticultural expertise, and his garden of weeden he tended too in California with his very good friend Brian. Yes! That is what they named it, and we’re quite happy with themselves lol, true story. He even sent his wife to a class to clarify a few things he needed to know about cloning, feeds and vitamins at Fullerton Community College where she was attending general education college courses. The flowers he and Brian grew were beautiful, the results top shelf quality without even trying too hard. During the fall and winter you could pretty much always find him watching NFL Football. He tried to never miss a Dallas Cowboys game if he could help it, even if he went to a bar and sipped 1-2 beers to watch it. Lastly he loved when he could spend his days frequently going to amusement parks or concerts with Missy and the kids, brothers or close friends. He loved the thrill in roller coasters and loved the fastest and biggest coasters the best. They helped him release it seems. Maybe to feel something besides uncertainty. The amount of lines he waited in through life, but somehow always had plenty of fun with whoever he was with while waiting is too many to count. It made the waiting sometimes more fun than the ride. BJ, following the steps of his father, was proudly a Brother of the Woods and will never be forgotten as such. He talked fondly of the yearly winter camp out’s, and expressed how he missed going throughout the years he was gone. He and his wife looked forward to BJ passing his belt buckle down to his only son, Ben.
BJ graduated from North Terre Haute High School in 1992 with honors and a Letterman’s Jacket. He played Football playing as a tight end or a linebacker and also wrestled. In high school wrestling was his wheel house but he loved football and he excelled in both. His wrestling team finished the season in 1st place undefeated his last year in 1992. He always loved sports and could be seen playing catcher for a Little League Baseball team, or being Coached by his father playing his favorite ball game, tackle football and was 2nd generation to play for the Boys Clubs Vigo County Youth Football. Wrestling was a big part of his life along with football through Jr and Sr high school where he was lettered for his excellent performance. He also loved music. 80’s and 90’s music were his absolute favorite. Rap and rock were his favorites when he was young. His cousin James fondly remembered his love for both when James would introduce him to the rap and hip hop and BJ would have him listen to may rock songs. James remembers how much he just loved it all and loved to have people listen to songs he liked. James said he will always give credit to Bj for being a big reason he opened up his boxing club, Sweat Box Gym in Terre Haute. Towards the end he mainly stuck to country but would throw in some rock here and there and when Missy was around he would let her listen to hip hop and rap, mostly because she loved it and danced and smiled because he didn’t much care for it in his older years, but he cared about her and loved watching her smile and dance. After high School he went straight into working, which he actually started during high school. A year after graduating, he was excited but terrified working more hours preparing to make sure he could provide for his new baby girl Kamrin that would make her grand appearance September 29, 1993. He did many different types of jobs starting out but he settled on being a Roofer and Framer for most of his life. He became engaged to Missy White of La Mirada, CA at the beginning of 2011. They were married in Clay City, Indiana on October 28th, 2011 where he gained not only his bride but also 2 beautiful step daughters. Zoe, born prior on September 11, 2005 and Destiny, also born prior on August 23, 2007. BJ was beside himself, he had finally gotten the family he had been waiting for and wanting his whole life, but there was a burning feeling in his heart that his age was quickly getting higher in digits and promptly asked Missy to start right away trying for a baby boy. He wanted a boy so badly to go fishing with and teach how to ride a motorcycle. BJ wanted to teach him how to be a better man than he ever was, and also wanted another paternal child before he became too old to carry on his family name, so Missy happily agreed. BJ was so eager, after month 2 of trying he became concerned thinking it was too late. They received news of his Mother in Law becoming ill in late February 2012, so they decided to pack up and head west to California. BJ got an exciting surprise. Luckily he was just impatient because after just 4 and a half months of marriage they were loading the last bit of their belongings into his Dodge Ram Sport pick up truck and Missy decided to use up the last pregnancy test they had in their Terre Haute apartment on Ohio St. They excitedly announced they were pregnant at their farewell dinner with family and made several phone calls in excitement while driving away from Terre Haute, relocating to Buena Park, California in March 2012 to go take care of Missy’s mother. 7 months later on October 31st, 2012 Missy gave birth to BJs son Ben in Santa Ana, California. Upon arrival to California, he wasted no time and decided to switch careers completely and was immediately hired doing plastic pipe fusion for 6 years and then after moving from Buena Park to Perris, California decided to try his hand in powder coating for 3 years. In 2020 during the pandemic, he and his wife both were not able to work, he got offered a job in AZ so they packed up their family and headed to Lake Havasu, Arizona where he became a House painter for almost 2 years, then started installing high end metal security doors for a year until unfortunately his wife experienced a Cerebral Rupture from a bursted brain Aneurysm and after almost losing her life and spending a month in the Neurological ICU, she was deemed unable to work in Jan 2023 for the foreseeable future. Financially it created an issue they could not solve while staying in Arizona. They were forced to move out of their home and decided to come back to Indiana to be closer to family. BJ and his wife thought it would be beneficial due to so many unknowns with her health. They arrived in Terre Haute on March 17th, 2023. He then jumped right into applications and in no time at all he got hired and started painting semi trailers at Great Dane in Brazil, IN for the past and his final 3 years of life. BJ was known for always having a job, he might have switched companies and titles and even trades quite a bit but he always had quick and efficient timing, was always on time and never had a hard time learning something new. His wife often called him her man that could do everything. He really was quite talented in things he was passionate about and was recognized many times for his outstanding performance and reliability. BJ’s relationship with his wife was absolutely one of the most beautiful love stories. The pet names they gave each other were adored continuously by many. She was his Babydoll and he was her Honey B, the kind of love that seemed unbreakable and hauntingly romantic. No matter the many obstacles or challenges they faced, they never let it break them fully, came close many times, but their love survived many times where most stories would end. BJ and Missy always found a way back to each other with most if not all people in their lives being completely unaware of the many times they struggled but continued raising their three children. Not many people knew he was actually the girls’ step father. They never added the word Step in front of dad when talking or calling him their given name to him, Dad. He was their Dad in all senses of the word besides blood. That was their choice which was very important to BJ that they decide his title on their own. BJ was a bright and giving soul, he had so many good intentions. It’s no secret BJ struggled with many things through life and as time went on he started feeling as if he was running out of time and wasn’t near the man or father he should be. It weighed on him heavily. He was a loving husband, father, brother and son. He loved with his whole heart, but had the hardest time showing his true feelings or telling people things he wanted them to know. His deepest regret was not being the father to all 4 of his children that he always wanted to be. His biggest regret however was the way he knew he failed his first born, he so badly wanted to fix it but felt it was too late and would only hurt or confuse her more. He didn’t want to step on her mother Angela’s feet, because he knew she did a fantastic job despite him not being there. So he watched her grow and cheered her on from afar, cried when she graduated both high school and collage, and when she was married. He hollered so loud when she announced she was pregnant and balled his eyes out happily when Sophia was born. His love for his daughter was so clear, but it was a deep pain only he could hide within. He was misunderstood more times than not. He was passionate and sensitive but would, a lot of times, present as frustrated and angry. He called it his curse for never being able to express his true emotions in a way people could understand. Many couldn’t. Many didn’t know the true BJ. Many still see him in a certain light that simply is just that...an oversight. BJ had many things he struggled with in life for many years, all the way from childhood. He battled mental health disorders and medication side effects and in a world where men are supposed to always be strong and keep emotions bottled up, he did just that, and it cost as him a small piece of himself everyday until he simply wasn’t BJ at all anymore. Unfortunately, no matter how much he was told he was loved, how often he was asked what was wrong so someone could try to help, or how much he was begged to stay, he didn’t know how to express it completely or how to continue living with the pain so overwhelmingly torturous and he didn’t want it to bleed all over others. The mental health industry in Terre Haute starting with, but not limited to, Hamilton Center and Vigo County Law Enforcement failed BJ Daugherty AND his family especially his wife and son. I hope they use this as a learning opportunity and strive to do better. BJ lost his battle to severe depression and anxiety and decided to take himself on his final ride in the wind…He apologized, said goodbye and rode home to heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on February 4, 2026 leaving behind many friends and family who are very important to him, all of which will feel his absence deeply. May his soul be forgiven and his heart be finally free of pain in the arms of Jesus and may his loved ones all find peace in our memories of his beautiful smile and contagious laugh, knowing he is finally at ease and no longer in pain. BJ is survived by the love of his life Melissa Kaye Daugherty, Daughters Kamrin Rose (Kyle) Logue, Zoe Maye Adams, Destiny Jewel Whitman, Son Benjamin Charles Daugherty, Granddaughter Sophia Rose Logue, Parents Bruce (Leslie) Daugherty and Debbie (Dale) Harris and younger Brothers Michael Shawn Daugherty and Benjamin Dru Daugherty, Uncles Mickey (Julie) Harney, Bill (Linda) Philips, Aunts Linda Daugherty, Linda (Brett) Pharr, and local cousins James (Wende) Porter, Bryan Krumreich, Dakota Bensinger, Klaire Harney, His beloved Nieces and Nephews Tailar, Colin and Alexis Daugherty, Step Sister Jessica Hayworth and her 4 sons Jonathen, Nehemiah, Xavier and Messiah, along with his In laws that BJ was very close with and loved dearly in California and Texas, and several other distant beloved Aunts, Uncles and cousins in other States. BJ was preceded in death by Grandparents William Benjamin Daugherty and Bessie Edith Daugherty, Grandparents Bill Philips and Caroline Marlene Harney, Uncle David “Wonk” Price
A service to celebrate BJs life and remember his beautiful smile and love for his family instead of the pain will be held at a later date decided by both his Mother and Father for family and close friends and by his wife also for friends and any others that may want to pay their respects or tell stories and be with each other to remember him. Those announcements will be made via Facebook or personal invitations. Please say a prayer for the broken hearts of those affected by this tragic loss. While they now have a strong and fiercely protective Guardian Angel with the most beautiful Green Eyes, they will still need extra love, support and understanding as they find peace, closure and comfort individually in their own way.
In lieu of flowers, we would like donations to be made instead to spread the word about the rising problem of Mental Illness, especially for Men, to these mental health and su***de awareness charities that are more productive than just a hotline people going thru a crisis rarely call…Thank You so much in advance from the family. 🌻
Brain & Behavior
Research Foundation
Funds scientific research into mental illnesses, including those linked to su***de
Dad’s Help
Focus: Supporting single fathers, their children, and families through guidance and advocacy.
Goal: Empower dads to build strong, healthy relationships with their kids.
