Kathleen "Kate" Martha Doherty

Kathleen "Kate" Martha Doherty passed on Sunday July 16, 2017 days after her 75th birthday which she celebrated surrounded by loving friends and church sisters and brothers. She was born on July 5, 1942 in Portland, Maine to William and Marjorie Doherty, and was their only child. Kate moved to Washington, DC in 1962 and worked at the United States Catholic Conference. Through her work there she met and married John Joseph Murray. Kate and John had two daughters, Mary Kathleen and Megan Eileen. Being the granddaughter of a democratic Governor of Maine, Louis J. Brann, instilled in Kate a deep commitment to politics and to democratic ideals. She was very politically involved, particularly in her later years. Kate's father, William "Doc" Doherty, a Maine Baseball Hall of Famer fostered in her a lifelong love of baseball. Kate loved writing and studied English at the University of Maine. She worked for many years on a novel entitled "The Wolfie Papers." Kate loved animals, cats in particular, and was a champion of them in her life, frequently giving to animal welfare organizations. She loved Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard, and gospel hymns. And at one time she enjoyed playing acoustic guitar. She deeply loved her church community at Shiloh Baptist Church, and spent many years worshiping, learning, growing, and being supported there. Kate's life will be celebrated on Saturday August 12 at 11:00 AM at Shiloh Baptist Church at 10704 Gunston Rd, Lorton, VA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Alleycat Allies in her name. www.alleycat.org