Dot Doherty will be remembered by family and friends for her warm, loving nature.By Sarah Schwager
DOT Doherty will be remembered “for her smile and for her friendly greetings”.
The lifelong Nar Nar Goon local died aged 82 on Friday 27 January in the Kooweerup Hospital after succumbing to cancer.
Her warmness and love of people was shown last week when nearly 800 people turned up for her funeral at St James Catholic Church in Nar Nar Goon on Tuesday 31 January.
The procession then moved to Bunyip Cemetery and back to the Nar Nar Goon Community Centre for refreshments.
“There was a cast of thousands there, too,” son Denis Doherty said.
Mrs Doherty was born at the Bunyip Hospital on 11 May 1923, the fifth child of Thomas and Ellen Magrath.
She attended the Nar Nar Goon School and first met her future husband, Bill Doherty, at St Joseph’s Cora Lynn while preparing for her Confirmation when she was 12, though was not very impressed with him at the time.
After finishing school she worked at Mr Ward’s corner store in Nar Nar Goon.
She was also a very good sportswoman and played basketball, tennis and badminton for Nar Nar Goon, and was president of the West Gippsland Basketball Association for a period.
Bill and Dot were married on 24 May 1947 in the former church where the present St James stands, where her funeral was held.
The couple had six children, Denis, Faye, Michael, Tricia, Peter and Gavan, and were joined by daughters and sonsinlaw, Mary, Terry, Fran, Tracy and Debbie, and 18 grandchildren.
Mrs Doherty was a devoted daughter, mother and friend and supported her husband in everything he did.
Mr Doherty’s extracurricular activities included president of the Nar Nar Goon Football Club, president of the West Gippsland Football League (WGFL) and secretary of the WGFL Tribunal.
She attended countless receptions, presentations, representative football matches and other events.
Family friend John McMillan, who spoke at the funeral, said: “She did all of this with style.
“Without her ongoing support over such an extended period, some 30 years, Bill’s achievements would have been of a much lower order.”
In the early 1980s Mrs Doherty joined the Garfield Bowling Club, which brought a new dimension to her life.
Son Denis said despite enjoying the games, Mrs Doherty mostly went for the people she met and the friendships she formed.
“The old man used to say when she started bowling he would ask her ‘how did it go’ and she would always say that she had met some really nice people. ‘Yes but how did the bowling go’, he would have to ask,” Denis said.
“That was the big attraction for her, the people she met.”
Denis said the bowling club forfeited all of their competition matches on Tuesday so they could attend the funeral.
Mrs Doherty also had a lifelong interest in football and cricket and was scorer for the Nar Nar Goon Cricket Club for some time.
She also made significant contributions to the Nar Nar Goon Football Club junior and senior teams over many years.
She was also a great Essendon supporter and stuck with them through thick and thin.
While Mrs Doherty was generally in good health, Mr McMillan said in the eulogy that she did have bouts of serious pain from time to time, which she managed to camouflage.
She recovered from serious surgery six years ago after being diagnosed with breast cancer and in May 2005 the tumours that took her life were detected.
She was diagnosed on her 58th wedding anniversary.
“In that time she was always positive and, supported by her faith, she fought the unwinnable battle with determination and dignity,” Mr McMillan said.
Denis said she would be sorely missed by everyone but would be remembered for her love of the people around her.
“The main elements of her life were her family, faith and friends,” Denis said.
“That all came together on the day (of her funeral). Everyone was there.
“A lot of people there talked about her smile, her great laugh, her sense of humour and her friendliness.”
