Peter Dougherty

On the unusually icy night of January 17, 1954, Joseph Peter Dougherty, Jr. arrived at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, after a slippery, roller-coaster ride from Fairfax, VA. Joseph, his father, raced to the front entrance with Mary E. McClatchy Dougherty, his mother, leaving the car running at the hospital curb. Twenty minutes later Peter arrived on his own time schedule as he did for the next 67 years.

Peter grew up in Fairfax, VA; Cincinnati, OH; Washington, DC; Paoli, PA; Lake Lucerne, OH; Lutherville, MD; Swansea, MA; Cowesett and Warwick Neck, RI; and Pelham Manor, NY, moving each time with his built-in cadre of playmates consisting of an ever-expanding number of sisters and one brother. With a heavy Roman Catholic educational influence, he attended grammar school at Our Lady of Mercy, East Greenwich, RI; high school at Fordham Preparatory School, Bronx, NY, ultimately graduating from Cranwell Preparatory School in Lenox, MA. He left the RC religion but kept many of the friendships formed throughout these years. He finalized his scholastic education at Ithaca College and the University of New Hampshire, studying English and Philosophy.

Peter began his professional life in broadcast sales in Boston, but quickly transitioned to the high-tech field. Most recently, he served as founder and CEO of Orion Partners.ai — a tech company that that helps greenhouse facilities standardize cannabis cultivation and optimize crop yield using an AI-driven, controlled-environment platform. Peter previously founded, financed, built, and led several tech companies in the machine learning and infrastructure virtualization markets. In all these business ventures, Peter’s strength was in attracting and retaining extraordinary executive teams and leading the organizations with intelligence and clarity of vision.

As successful as Peter was in business, his greatest achievement in life was his deep commitment to his family, friends, and community. Those closest to Peter knew him as a brilliant, fun, adventurous, creative, and caring man. He was a highly attentive, loving husband and father, and he constantly went out of his way for neighbors and friends. Over the years — even through the Covid pandemic — Peter made a point of building, cultivating, and supporting a wonderful network of friends. Peter embodied vitality, always moving forward, never giving up.

One of Peter’s greatest passions in life was sailing — a sport he learned as a youth in Warwick and honed over the years. In the Boston community, Peter was the well-known captain of S/V Peningo, a custom Dubois ’49 sailboat that he and his family ran for charter and joy in Boston Harbor and around New England waters.

Peter served on the board of the Cranwell Fund, a nonprofit supporting the education of inner-city youth. He was also an active supporter of Courageous Sailing, a Boston-based nonprofit committed to transforming the lives of local children through sailing programs that inspire learning, personal growth, and leadership. In support of his children’s move into a large public school, Peter was the driving force in the establishment of a lacrosse program at the Boston Latin School, working tirelessly to create and develop what is now a flourishing program.

Sadly, Peter died of a heart condition on the morning of July 24, 2021, not on his time schedule, way too soon and abruptly.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Eva “Eve” Rozas Dougherty, Peter’s partner in life, his daughters, Genevieve and Juliette and son, Jake.

Genevieve, the first-born, introduced Peter to the role of fatherhood which he relished throughout his life. She was his “poet partner” and companion sailor. They shared an intuitive understanding of each other’s essence. Jake was his namesake and sailing mate. Peter cherished the time they worked intimately together on Sustainable Cannabis Coalition. As athletic partners they delighted in endless hours playing Frisbee, street hockey, baseball and more. Juliette was his baby; he was her world. Juliette brought him joy and shared a love of life, often revealed in a shared sense of humor and playfulness.

Peter is further survived by his sisters, Geraldine Dougherty of Doylestown, PA; Jody and Aimee Dougherty of Newton Square, PA; Elizabeth Dougherty of Oakland, CA; Brighde Dougherty of Sea Girt, NJ; his brother David Dougherty of Litchfield, Connecticut; his step-mother Mary Dougherty of Sea Girt, NJ: and his step-siblings Robert Debbs of West Palm Beach, FL; Tyler Debbs Squire of Montpelier, VT; Melissa Debbs-McDougald of Kennebunkport, ME; and Hilary DiFeo of Sea Girt, NJ.

A celebration of Peter’s life will take place on Thursday, August 12, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Courageous Sailing Center located at Pier 4 in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Contributions can be made to the Courageous Sailing Center in Peter’s honor by using this link: https://courageoussailing.org/donor-checkout/

We are look forward sharing and hearing your favorite memories of Peter.

Please RSVP to Jake Dougherty [email protected]