Tulsa Church Historian To Turn 100 Years Old

Victory Church in Tulsa opened an exhibit to share its legacy since its beginning more than 40 years ago.

It’s called the Legacy Room, and on the walls are keepsakes that tell the stories of the 42 years since its forming.

Old yearbooks, photos, and newspaper articles were collected by the church's designated historian, Iru Daugherty.

"I would cut [the newspaper articles] out and take them to Hobby Lobby and another store that has frames and got them to frame them for me," Daugherty said.

The artifacts are not only of her life's work but of her family's.

Her son, Billy Joe Daugherty, established the church with his wife, Sharon Daugherty, in 1981. Iru Daugherty left her home in Arkansas and found her way to Oklahoma to help him.

"I worked right under Billy Joe,” Daugherty said. “I was not his secretary, but I was his helper, and I worked right with him. Whatever needed to be done, if someone got a better job and needed to leave, I took over that position."

Billy Joe passed away from cancer in 2009.

His son, Paul, became Pastor a few years after he passed.

"I said, 'Paul, what do you want me to do?' He said the same thing you did for my dad,” Daugherty said.

Daugherty is one of the longest employees at Victory: 38 years.

It's a big milestone, but not as big as the one she's celebrating on Sunday.

"I am celebrating 100 years of life,” Daugherty said. “February 25, 1924, is my birthdate."

She's lived through many historically significant events. She even worked for a shipyard during World War II.

"I was working In the office department on the payroll, but they would let us all go out when they launched one of the ships, it was a transport ship, and it was exciting to see them launch, but it was also very sad because we didn't know where they were going," Daugherty said.

But her favorite moments of her life mostly happened at Victory, with her family and the people she loved.

"Everything I did was a joy, and I enjoyed it, and so I have just been blessed abundantly,” Daugherty said.

Daugherty will celebrate her birthday surrounded by friends and family, including her 18 great-grandchildren, on Sunday.