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RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PAT DAUGHERTY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Pat Daugherty, a pillar of the Centre region and the Penn State community.
Pat Daugherty owned and operated the Tavern Restaurant for four decades in State College, Pennsylvania. He was a mentor to many, a friend to all, and a champion for our community.
Sadly, Pat passed away on November 7 at the age of 75. While his absence has been felt by friends, family, and loved ones, the outpouring of anecdotes and stories from those who have known Pat over the years has illustrated what can be truly described as a life well lived.
Pat first arrived in State College in the early 1960s for his freshman year at Penn State University and proceeded to make the area home. He was a two-time graduate of the university with a bachelor's and a master's degree in civil engineering.
While attending Penn State, Pat, like many students, worked an off-
campus job. Pat's place of employment was a historic inn turned restaurant called The Tavern. It would only be a few years later that Pat would return to The Tavern, this time as its owner.
For the next 40 years, Pat welcomed students, staff, the Penn State nation, and visitors of all kinds to his restaurant. He always greeted them with a smile on his face and the goal to treat each person like family.
Pat loved the community and loved Penn State. He cared so much for his town and would do everything he could to make it a better place.
His drive to connect the community to the college and the college to the community was evident. Throughout the years of owning The Tavern, Pat employed hundreds of Penn State students. He is beloved by generations due to his years of mentorship.
He was always giving back; as an active volunteer and avid sports lover, Pat was a supporter of all Penn State athletic programs. The Tavern established several scholarships and an endowment for freestyle wrestling.
Leading up to Penn State's biggest philanthropic event of the year, THON, The Tavern was a frequent place for fundraisers and team meetings. The Tavern actively supported Mount Nittany Medical Center, Nittany Valley Symphony, Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.
Pat was always putting his community first. His passion to help others and make the community a better place did not go unnoticed, and his contributions to State College cannot be overstated.
In 1999, Penn State named him the Renaissance Fund Honoree. This title is an annual tribute to someone for a lifetime of service to Penn State and the State College community through philanthropy and civic leadership. That year, contributions to the Renaissance Fund endowed three scholarships in honor of Pat, his mother, and Tavern alumni.
More than 20 years later, those scholarships are awarded to students with outstanding academic records who show the greatest financial need. Pat's philanthropy did not stop with the university. He continued to work to better the State College community, volunteering and serving among a variety of organizations.
He was a member of the Downtown Improvement District, where he played a significant role in the planning of the future of downtown State College. He served on the board of the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County and the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association.
He was always ready to lend a helping hand, and in 2019 the board of Centre County's Constitution Day celebration awarded Pat the inaugural James Madison Award for Civility in the Community.
Mr. Speaker, I have fond memories of meeting with Pat in the community and especially on Capitol Hill, when he would travel to Washington on behalf of the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association. We often shared a laugh, and during one visit he may have even shared the recipe for the Tavern's world renown ``Original Sin'' cocktail with my staff.
Pat Daugherty's work in the community goes well beyond being a restaurateur. For more of his years he was a pillar of the community, a mentor, and an avid supporter of Penn State University and the greater Centre region. Most of all, Pat was someone who everyone called a friend.
I extend my sincere condolences to Pat's wife Ruth, his children, Sam and Dawn, and his family and friends. Pat will be so truly missed, and his legacy will live on forever.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 208
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