Rebecca Dougherty

1927 - 2016

Rebecca L Dougherty

Cocoa

Louise Dougherty, 89, passed away Friday, Sept. 16, at Viera Hospital in Melbourne.

 Rebecca Louise Stevens was born to Belle Ogle Stevens and George Stevens, on June 25, 1927, in Wilmington, Delaware.  She was the youngest of nine children in a blended family.  Louise married Raymond Dougherty in 1947, and their growing family moved from Delaware to Florida in 1958. They settled in Titusville, where Louise and her sister, Anne Oakes, opened, owned and ran Lou-Anne's Sandwich Shop in Nidy's Plaza  during the 1960s.

 Louise and Ray moved to Tampa after his retirement from NASA, but later returned to the Space Coast, settling in Cocoa.  Louise was a member of Cocoa Presbyterian Church Choir for nearly four decades.

 With her hugs and her ready smile, Louise was a model of love and strength for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She and her husband created a home that was fun.

Her sweetness, generosity and sense of humor will always be remembered with love and gratitude by her family and friends

 She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 61 years, Ray; her parents, five brothers, three sisters and her grandson, Michael Cheney.

 She is survived by daughters Lynn (Marion) Cheney and Marilou (Cecil) Boggs, and son, Michael (Rose) Dougherty; granddaughters Anna (Daniel) Heiney and Hope Dougherty, grandsons Andrew (Kristina) Boggs, John (Danielle) Boggs and Kenneth Dougherty; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

There will be a visitation held from 10-11am on Friday, September 23 at the Life Event Center at Florida Memorial followed by a celebration of her life at 11am. Interment will be at Florida Memorial Gardens.

Memorial donations may be made in her honor to the Cocoa Presbyterian Church Choir.