Frank Doherty

Frank Doherty, 86

LUNENBURG - Francis J. "Frank" Doherty, Jr., of Lunenburg, Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves (retired), died Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 at the Rose Monahan Hospice in Worcester in a rare coincidence, afflicted by the same malady, Pulmonary Fibrosis, that took his wife in 2011.

He passed away in the company of many family members. He was 86 years old.

Frank was born in Worcester, the son of the late Dr. Francis J. and Elizabeth (McDermott) Doherty.

He is survived by sons, F. Joseph Doherty III and his wife Sandra of Worcester; Sean W. Doherty and his wife Eliza Valli of Mesa, Ariz., and Kevin L. Doherty and his wife Jane of Leominster; daughters Ann E. Smith and her husband Scott of Huntersville, N.C., and Kara L. Doherty of Leominster. He is also survived by ten grandchildren: F. Joseph Doherty IV and his wife Jessica of Tucson, Ariz., Elizabeth A. Rhoden and her husband Justin, and Katelyn E. Smith of Charlotte, N.C.; Ryan P. and John F. Doherty of Leominster; Mea, Francesca and Isabella Valli-Doherty of Mesa; and Tatiana J. and Nicholas S. Doherty of Worcester. He is also survived by three great-granddaughters: Joana, Jayden and Jaklyn Doherty of Tucson, and by his former wife and dear friend Elaine Morgan Doherty of Worcester.

He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years Martha Rowden Doherty in 2011, and by his only sister Joanne Doherty Kerr in 2015.

Frank grew up in Worcester and in the Cherry Valley section of Leicester (Mass.). He was a 1949 graduate of St. John's High School (Worcester), College of the Holy Cross, Class of 1953, and Syracuse University, Class of 1956. Frank held various on-air, production and management positions at commercial radio and television stations in Syracuse, N.Y., Springfield and Worcester, Mass. In 1966, he joined Corning Glass Works (now Corning, Inc.) as a public relations manager, and subsequently held public relations positions at American Optical Company in Southbridge, Mass. and Norton Company, where he retired as Director of Public Relations in 1994. Thereafter Frank was an independent PR counselor specializing in crisis communications. Simultaneously he was an adjunct professor of public relations at Clark University for eight years and was a member of the advisory board for Clark's master's professional communications program.

He pursued a parallel career in the Navy Reserve. Enlisting in 1949 while still in high school, and commissioned an Ensign in 1953, he retired 42 years later as a Captain. Following college, he graduated from the Communications School at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. and then served on a destroyer in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets from 1953 to 1955. Following his release from active duty he held command billets in Navy reserve training units in North Hornell, Birmingham and Horseheads, N.Y. He was also attached to units in Worcester and Springfield, Mass., and in Earle, N.J. He represented the U.S. Naval Academy for 10 years as a "Blue & Gold" officer and was area coordinator in south central New York and in western Massachusetts. He was a graduate of the Senior Reserve Officers Program at the U.S, Naval War College in Newport, R.I.

His affiliations included life memberships in the Military Officers Association of America, the Association of the U.S. Navy and the Reserve Officers Association. He was a member and a past president of the Worcester Rotary Club, and a former member of the Hyannis Rotary. He also belonged to the Holy Cross Club of Worcester, the O'Callahan Society and was a former member of the President's Council. He also was a member of the First Friday Club of Worcester.

He was an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America and a past member of its Boston, Central Massachusetts, Chemung Valley and Rochester (N.Y.) chapters. He was also a past National Director of PRSA.

Previously Frank was an active volunteer in the United Way organizations of Springfield, Worcester, Tri-Community (Southbridge, Mass.) and Corning (N.Y.). He was a volunteer in the Boy Scouts of America in New York State and in Central Massachusetts where he was a district chairman. While in New York he was a Philmont Expedition Leader for a wilderness trek at the Boy Scouts' National Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

Other past memberships include: the Broadcast Promotion Association, the Jaycees, the Society of American Travel Writers, the Pioneer Valley Association, the Finger Lakes Association, the Corning Philharmonic Society and the Navy League.

Inspired by the Second Vatican Council, Frank was an active Catholic layman in three parishes in Corning, Sturbridge and Leominster. He loved Our Lady of the Lake Parish, the Navy, the Boy Scouts, Rotary, Jesuits, Holy Cross, St. John's, and his many friends and extensive family which gave him so much joy in this life.

There will be a wake, Thursday, September 27, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster St., Worcester. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Lake Church, 1400 Main St. in North Leominster on Friday, September 28, at 11 a.m. Burial with military honors will take place at a later date at the convenience of the family in the National Cemetery in Bourne. The family asks in lieu of flowers that contributions be made to a charity of one's choice.