Eileen Doherty, died peacefully October 9th, 2010 at her home in Stallings, NC, with family in attendance. “Murphy” was born on June 28th, 1944, in Jamestown, NY, to Lewis John and Fidelia D’Amato Doherty. She is survived by her two daughters, Kelly Meek (Jim), and Elizabeth “Lissa” Wadsworth (Rob), her sister Mary Martha Fortney (Ken), her nieces, Laura Seal, Katherine Gardner, Melissa Ward, and her nephew, Michael Ward. She is also survived by her five grandchildren, Megan Wadsworth, Meredith Meek, Emily Wadsworth, Caroline Meek, and Cooper Meek. She is predeceased by her parents, Lewis and Fidelia Doherty, and her sister, Deborah Doherty.
She spent her childhood in Arlington and Alexandria, VA, attending St. Mary’s Academy and later receiving her Bachelor of Education degree from James Madison University. She taught in schools in Virginia, and Texas, but spent the bulk of her career teaching in Columbia, SC. She lived in Germany in the mid-seventies, relishing that time in her life as a homemaker. She also used the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Europe. She earned a Masters in Counseling while living in Texas, and used that degree working for a period of time at Epworth Children’s Home in Columbia. She spent several years as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, a division of SCDHEC. Her career concluded in Kingstree, SC, after she was called by her dear friend, Diane Terry, to serve as the Curriculum Coordinator for an extremely disadvantaged elementary school. It was much to her credit that this failing school was surpassing national goals by the time she left.
She retired to the Charlotte, NC area in 2005 to be near her girls and to joyfully take on the responsibility of providing childcare for her grandchildren. She was an avid athlete, playing basketball in high school and college, and lifelong tennis and golf. She was a competitor in all she took on…from bridge to ping-pong. All that knew her were well aware of her abiding passion for golf, though many outside of her family might have been surprised to know that she was also a fantastic cook. Above all, she was a fiercely loving mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, and friend.
Funeral services will be held at Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, 300 Pineville-Matthews Rd., Matthews, NC 28105 on Sunday, October 17th, at 4 pm. Pastor Jennifer Ginn will officiate the service. The family will receive friends at the church following the service and will hold a reception afterward at the deceased’s home. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Cross and Crown Lutheran Church Youth Ministry Fund, or to Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte Region, 1420 E. 7th St., Charlotte, NC 28204.
Condolences at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com
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