William Pennebaker Boone “Boone” Dougherty was born on September 4, 1936, in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, to Dr. John Henry Dougherty, Sr. and Florence Mabee Boone. He passed away peacefully of natural causes on May 24, 2026, in Bettendorf, Scott County, Iowa.

Boone graduated in 1954 from Christ School, an Episcopal boys’ college preparatory school in Arden, North Carolina. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, with minors in Economics and English, from Vanderbilt University in 1958. He then attended the University of Virginia School of Law, graduating in 1961 with both a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Juris Doctor degree.

Following law school, Boone practiced law in Knoxville, Tennessee for more than thirty years, from 1961 through 1991. During his distinguished legal career, he practiced with several firms, including Ambrose, Wilson and Saulpaw; Poore, Cox, Baker and McAuley; Bernstein, Dougherty and Susano, where he practiced for fourteen years; and Dougherty and Alliman. In 1965, he was appointed Deputy Law Director for the City of Knoxville and also served as City Trial Counsel and Counsel for City Council through 1972.

Throughout his years in both private and public practice, Boone handled a wide range of significant legal matters, including criminal defense, labor law and labor-management disputes, environmental litigation, flooding and drainage issues, boundary disputes, and coal mining matters. Among the notable cases in which he was involved were the University of Tennessee Billy Graham cases at Neyland Stadium in 1970 and the landmark “Snail Darter Case,” Hill v. Tennessee Valley Authority, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 15, 1978. The case halted completion of the $110 million Tellico Dam project and brought national attention to environmental and conservation issues.

After retiring from private practice in 1991, Boone moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked as an investigative reporter for a local newspaper and participated in uncovering misconduct that led to the defeat of a local political official.

In 1993, Boone began a second career with the State of Georgia, trying cases throughout the state for the Department of Human Resources. He retired from state service in September 2004.

On February 1, 2006, Boone moved to Bettendorf, Iowa, to be closer to his daughter, Claire Boone Dougherty Coughlin; her husband, Mike Coughlin; and his beloved grandchildren, Ryan Coughlin, Gracie (Coughlin) Hill, and Sarah Coughlin. He cherished his years in Bettendorf surrounded by family and friends. He especially enjoyed his morning coffee group, where many hours were happily spent “solving the world’s problems.”

Boone was an avid tennis player throughout his life and loved the outdoors. He enjoyed extensive backpacking trips through many of the nation’s national parks and wilderness areas.

He will be remembered for his sharp intellect, deep curiosity, strong sense of justice, lively conversation, and enduring love for family and friends.