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RITA DOUGHERTY Obituary
RITA A. (St. John)
Rita was born on August 19, 1938 in Camden, NJ to Joseph St. John and Rita A. (Boyle). Rita came from a family of seven children: her brother Thomas St. John and sister Suzanne Wilcox preceded her in death. She is survived by her sisters Mary McElhinney (James), Nancy Wilson (Tom), and Rosemary St. John, along with her sister-in-law Mary St. John; and her brother Jerry St. John (Linda).
Rita is survived by her husband of 63 years, Joseph F. Dougherty. Rita and Joseph raised seven children and have 18 grand-children. Rita was preceded in death by her sons Joseph G. Dougherty and Alexander J. Dougherty and his wife Linda, and her son-in-law Christopher M. Smith. She is survived by her children Rita Anne O'Toole (Stephen), Maureen Smith (the late Christopher Smith), Monica Potosky (Gary), Paul Dougherty (Dina), Daniel Dougherty and daughter-in-law Lydia.
While raising seven children, Rita obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated with honors from Glassboro State College. She owned her own business, R&N Services, with her sister Nancy providing transcription services. Rita retired after working 20 years in the Third District Federal Court of Philadelphia. She was a deputy clerk for both The Honorable John B. Hannum and The Honorable John P. Fullam Rita enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren; Matthew, Daniel, Jeremiah, Rachel, and Jacob Dougherty; Patrick and Erin O'Toole; Michael, Margaret (Matthew Becker), and Katherine Smith; Andrew and Claire Potosky; Ryan, Cara, and Maren Dougherty; Alec, Sam and Grace Dougherty. Rita is a lifelong Catholic and a parishioner of St. John and St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Collingswood, NJ.
A Funeral Mass and Celebration of life will be held at a later date. A private interment will be held on Thursday April 24, 2020 at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill, NJ. Condolences can be sent to BLAKE-DOYLE Funeral Home in Collingswood, NJ or visit BLAKE-DOYLE.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for RITA DOUGHERTY
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2 Entries
Mary McElhinney
April 22, 2020
Goodbye, dear sister Rita from this Earthly Life. Now, you have been born into Eternal Life. Her love for her family was bigger than life itself and will go on even with the her passing.
When speaking with others about her life what we all are impressed with is all the unending challenges she faced, how she met them all with her special strength and faith and her enduring quest to make things better for all who needed her, and there were many.
Back when it was possible to go to daily mass, I would spiritually bring with me family, friends and the sick, mentioning them by name and placing them in the pew with me family and friends to my right side and the sick on my left. Rita with her maladies was often on both the right and the left.
Now, we have Rita with a new position. She is praying for all of us On High in Heaven where she has gone to glory in the Love of God.
When we were children, 6 and 8 years old, and going to sleep at night, we would always sing songs together. I would make her wait until the radio shows were over FBI in Peace & War, Gilette Sports Boxing matches (choices were limited on the radio). Her favorite song was always Im Gonna Buy a Paper Doll that I Can Call My Own she will always be our Paper Doll.
Love, her sister Mary Frances and all her siblings.
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John Maguire
April 22, 2020
Will always miss your happy Irish smile. The Maguire Family
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