Donald Dougherty

Donald J. Dougherty, 93, of West Caldwell, NJ, passed away on Wednesday, September 11, 2019. Visitation will be Sunday, September 15, 2019 from 3-7 PM at Shook's Cedar Grove Funeral Home, 486 Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, NJ. Funeral Mass will be Monday, September 16, 2019 at 11 AM at Notre Dame Church, 359 Central Ave., North Caldwell, NJ. Condolences and memories may be shared at shookscedargrove.com. Predeceased by his parents, Daniel and Margaret, his sister Veronica and brother-in-law Edgar, and brother D. Bernard, Don is survived by his wife, Mary (nee Connellan), children Dan and wife Hee-Sun of New York, Jim and wife Trish of Vermont, and Cissi DeMarco and partner Edz of Virginia; his grandchildren Owen, Kaitlin, Caroline and Sean; and his many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. Born and raised in Jersey City, NJ, Don was a resident of Cedar Grove for more than four decades. A graduate of Regis High School and Newark College of Engineering (NJIT), Don made his career as a civil engineer in the construction industry. Don lived his life in accord with a set of admirable values. He faithfully loved Mary, his wife of over 52 years, and was home every night for dinner by 6pm. He was devoted to his children, taught them well, supported them unconditionally, and provided them with every opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Don took special joy in his grandchildren, and they made him inestimably proud. Don believed one could not judge a person's character by the color of their skin or the size of their wallet, and he behaved that way. He valued intellect and read newspapers and books endlessly. Don learned new things every day - from making sourdough pancakes and bread to using an iPad to research stocks, to cooking with Japanese seasoning, to baking award-winning apple pies. He acted with precision and care whether he was building furniture in his workshop or tending to his orchids and tomatoes. Don valued self-reliance and independence and could always figure out a solution. He loved an entertaining story, and a clever joke delivered with a deadpan expression. His letters are legendary and handwriting somewhat hard to decipher. Don's faith was shown more in deeds than in words, and he served others generously. Don will be missed deeply by his friends and family. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Cristo Rey New York High School, 112 East 106th St., New York, NY 10029, www.cristoreyny.org/give-now. Cristo Rey New York provides motivated students from low-income families a path to college and professional success.