Lynne Doherty

1946 - 2021

Lynne Carol Doherty
December 4, 1946 - May 29, 2021
Lynne Carol Doherty passed away peacefully on May 29th, 2021, at age 74, surrounded by her loving family. Lynne was born on December 4th, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois. When she was a little red-headed two-year-old, her adventurous parents packed up the family and drove from Chicago to Phoenix, to plant their roots. Lynne attended Longview Elementary School and North High School in Phoenix. In her school years, Lynne joined Bethel Methodist Church youth group where she enjoyed the parties, dances, and ice cream socials with her friends.
Like her parents, Lynne was an adventurer. In her early 20s, inspired by dreams of the blue ocean, she moved herself to Southern California. From Southern California, Lynne then traveled to Maui, Hawaii where she lived for several years and met some of her closest lifelong friends. In 1973, Lynne planted her own roots in Marin County where she built her career and raised her daughter, Layne. Fiercely independent and self-sufficient, Lynne created a happy life for herself and Layne, who was her first true love; they were two peas in a pod.
Lynne's career in the gourmet food business spanned almost forty years. Lynne loved food and liked to say, "I live to eat; I don't eat to live!" She was the manager of one of the first specialty coffee shops in Marin, The Caravansary, and she was a successful sales rep for Cuisinart. Lynne dedicated decades of combined experience as the manager for Let's Eat in Tiburon, later managing their well-known catering company and Sweet Things Bakery on California Street in San Francisco. At one time, Lynne also managed The Panama Hotel and Restaurant in San Rafael.
In later years, Lynne transitioned her work from the gourmet food business to the medical industry where she worked as the treatment coordinator for Carlson Orthodontics in Mill Valley until she retired in 2018. Because she adored being around beautiful things and was genuinely interested in every person and customer she met, after she retired, Lynne took a part-time job for the At Home store in The Cove Shopping Center in Tiburon. She was passionate about her work ethic, genuinely enjoyed her customers and treated every business where she worked as if it were her own.
As a single mother and full-time employee, Lynne embarked on her next adventure: earning a BFA with an emphasis in painting from Dominican College (now Dominican University). She graduated in 1992, at age 46, with honors for top marks. Lynne was the first person in her family to go to college. After completing her BFA, Lynne went on to earn an MFT in Art Therapy from the College of Notre Dame in Burlingame. She was a lifelong learner and a strong advocate of her beliefs, never afraid to inquire and ask questions, and always interested in knowing everything she could about the world in which she lived.
Somehow amidst her busy life and successes she always made time to experience the big, exciting world; walking and eating throughout Italy; traversing Paris; exploring Machu Picchu, Peru; sailing on a chartered boat in the Galapagos Islands; kayaking in Canada; hiking the jungles of Costa Rica; walking the shores collecting shells, and eating lobster rolls on Martha's Vineyard; taking her granddaughter, Tristyn, on a trip to Washington, DC for an 8th-grade graduation gift; falling in love with the Mexican culture and returning to Mexico for many, many, visits; and traveling all over the United States (too many places to note!).
At heart, Lynne was a creative. She had an amazing eye for details in design, color, and style, and she was passionate about painting. She also enjoyed hiking, yoga, visiting the beach, going out to the theater and live music, seeing art, going dancing, trying new things, laughing, and her most beloved pursuit of all: being with her precious family.
Lynne stood out in a crowd for her beautiful smile, contagious laugh, and sparkling eyes. She was a friend to so many and she loved her friends dearly. All who knew her would agree that Lynne knew how to throw a party — she cherished being a part of all celebrations from start to finish. So, it is fitting that we should honor Lynne by nurturing our own joy for life, our wide-open smiles, and the full-hearted delight of holding our precious families close with so much love.
Lynne was proceeded in death by her mother, Muriel Doherty, her father Edward Doherty, and her brother, Grant Doherty — all of Phoenix, Arizona. Lynne is survived by her daughter, Layne Doherty, her son-in-law, Nate Accomazzo, and her adoring grandchildren Tristyn and Mikhail Accomazzo who knew her as "Mayme".
A celebration of Lynne's life will be held in late August. All friends are welcome, please contact the family by August 8th at desertflower46@comcast.net to receive details and RSVP. Donations in Lynne's honor may be given to the organization of choice. The family supports By the Bay Health www.bythebayhealth.com and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco www.famsf.org.