“A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.” — George Bernard Shaw
The Dougherty family mourns the loss of our patriarch, Frank Moore Dougherty, who died of natural causes, surrounded by family, at St. Francis Hospital on May 3, 2018 at the age of 92.
Frank was born in Pittsburgh, PA to Frank H. Dougherty and Mary Jane Moore. He was the youngest of three children, following his brother, Wilson, and his sister, Mary Elizabeth. Frank (also known to many of his friends and family members as “Doc”) attended Edgewood High School, where he excelled at sports and met his future bride, Barbara Schropp. After his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Following training in NC, FL, and TX, he was en route to the Pacific on VJ Day.
Frank subsequently enrolled at The University of Pittsburgh on the GI Bill. He was a member of the university’s baseball team and participated in fraternity life as a brother of Pi Kappa Alpha. Shortly after his graduation from Pitt, he married the love of his life, Barbara. They were happily married for 59 years, until her death on November 30, 2008.
Frank had a long career with the DuPont Company. He was transferred to Indianapolis, IN and Wheaton, IL before settling in Wilmington. He retired from his position as a sales and marketing manager in 1985. Frank subsequently worked as an Associate at W.L. Gore and Associates, with leadership responsibilities in the medical products division, until 1993.
When not at work back in those days (and even more so in retirement), Frank could be found competing on the tennis courts of the DuPont Country Club, avidly watching his children’s (then grandchildren’s) games and performances, gently lobbing tennis balls at the rabbits in his backyard vegetable garden (in a halfhearted attempt to scare them off), playing paddle ball on the beach in Avalon, NJ, discussing books and socializing with dear friends, or actively supporting Concord Church — nearly always with Barbara at his side.
Frank’s warmth, kindness, gentle humor, and candor were ever on display. He was an effortless gentleman. His enduring legacy is his devotion to his family. Frank was relentlessly family-oriented and a deeply proud husband, father, and grandfather. He carefully bestowed extra attention on whomever was particularly vulnerable at any given time.
Frank was predeceased by his wife, Barbara, and his daughter, Ann Elizabeth Dougherty, who died on March 3, 2015, also of natural causes.
Frank is survived by his two sons, Frank T. Dougherty (Vivian) and Jack R. Dougherty (Grage), as well as his daughter, Sara Dougherty-Jones (Steve Jones). He was blessed with twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren: Barbara Butkus, David Harshbarger, and Rachel Ramirez; Alex, Michael, and Scott Dougherty; Julia Dougherty-Kilgour (daughters Madeline and Charlotte Kilgour), Katie Dougherty (son Thomas Dougherty-Borwell), Carolyn Dougherty-Gaynor (children John and Grace Gaynor), and Jack Dougherty, Jr.; and Andrew and Ella Jones.
A celebration of Frank’s (Doc’s) life will be held on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 1 p.m. at Concord Presbyterian Church, 1800 Fairfax Blvd, Wilmington, DE 19803. Should friends desire, contributions to the needy may be made to Concord Presbyterian Church Deacons’ Fund at the same address.
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