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John Joseph Doherty, age 66, died Saturday, April 1, 2006, surrounded by family and friends at his home in Daytona Beach Shores, FL after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; sons, Brian and wife, Amel and Keith; sister, MaryAnn McDermott; nephews, Shawn, Kevin and wife, Patti and Dan; great-nephews, Bryan, Joey, and Evan; his sister-in-law, Nora, husband Thomas, three daughters, Alyse and Dana Mazziotta of Orlando and Kristen Bollotino of New York; and numerous cousins and dear friends. He was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1939, the year of New York's first World's Fair. He was a paratrooper for the 101st Airborne Division, "The Screaming Eagles," from 1959-1962, jumping out of planes with his childhood friend, Jimmy Lundrigan. After a long sojourn in Europe, his Ironworking father marched him down to the union hall, where he became an Ironworker for Local 361. In April of 1966, John met 18 year old Eileen Clancy, also of Brooklyn. By October of that year, they were married, the beginning of an almost 40-year love affair. In June of 1969, Eileen gave birth to their first son, Brian William and moved to New Jersey. Son Keith Joseph came later in January of 1974. Instilled with an inate sense of wanderlust, John and the family moved out to New Mexico, later followed like the Pied Piper by his parents and his sister and her family. In 1978, John moved to the remote mountains of Grants, NM. There, John put his wilderness skills learned in Brooklyn to good use. He raised horses, pigs, goats, rabbits, and chickens on a 3 1/2 acre plot of land nestled near Cibola National Forest. John loved the challenges the great outdoors posed and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, such as chopping wood and tending to his large garden. His pleasures included photography, marathons, swimming, kayaking, sun worshipping, and driving enormous distances. His sense of exploration took him to many parts of the country, eventually at the ocean's edge in a condo with his wife in Daytona Beach Shores, a place where John was truly at home. John was imbued with a wonderful sense of humor that could light up any room he entered. He had a boyish, mischievous smile that charmed everyone. He was a kind, caring, selfless person who adored children more than anything in life - attending countless sporting events that his sons, nephews, and nieces participated in. A loving father, devoted husband, and gifted photographer, he will be sorely missed, but never forgotten. As the lyrics of his favorite song, The Highwayman say, "I am still around . . . I'll always be around . . . and around." Services will be held Tuesday, April 4, 2006 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Cardwell & Maloney, 3571 Ridgewood Ave., Port Orange, FL. Church Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. the Church of the Epiphany, 201 Lafayette St., Port Orange, FL 32127. Father Peter Quinn officiating. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 555 W. Granada Blvd., H-8, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.
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