Jim Doherty, 89, a longtime resident of the Lakes Region, passed away on April 12, 2005 at the Lakes Region Hospital after a long illness. The son of James C. and Marjorie (Knox) Doherty, he was born in Newton, MA in 1915 and spent the early part of his adult life in Sudbury MA, before moving to NH in 1961.
He is survived by his son Rick Doherty of Ogunquit, Me and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He was married to Mildred L. (Burke) for 43 years until her death in 1981. He was the father of Russell J. Doherty of Cochituate, MA (deceased 2002) and Marjorie E. Kunian of Holliston, MA (deceased 2001). In 1982, he was married to Rose Ann Blunden of Meredith, NH, until her death in 2004. For those 22 years, he enjoyed a second family relationship with Rose, her daughter Eva Hurst, of Laconia and son Ray of Merrimack, NH and their families.
In his youth, Jim was a baseball player with a brief stint as a pitcher with the Boston Braves organization and spent his early career developing his special craft of tool making and dye design. During WWII, he worked as a machinist in the critical machine tool industry supporting the war effort. His career included several managerial positions with major tool and dye manufacturers, which eventually led to his formation of Doherty Machine Company, in Bartlett and Meredith, NH in the 1960’s which he owned and operated successfully for many years.
He had a passion for painting, primarily in watercolors, and his paintings are in numerous locations throughout New England. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and excellent bowler; as well as a talented musician, playing the saxophone and piano throughout his life.
He will be sadly missed by his family and friends; as well as by his physician, Mary- Claire Paicopolis, MD and the staff at the Laconia Center, Genesis Eldercare, in Laconia, who provided him with extraordinary care during the final stages of his life.
Calling hours were in the Simoneau & Lambert Funeral Home, 139 Church St. Thursday from 7 to 9 PM. A funeral ceremony was held in the funeral home Friday at Noon. Rev. George Hankins-Hull, Spiritual Care Coordinator at Lakes Region General Hospital officiated. Burial was in Village Cemetery, Meredith.