James W. Dougherty

James W. (Doc) Dougherty, 87, of Woodcrest Villa, Lancaster, died Sunday, October 20, 2024 at Trillium Place by Tandem Living (formerly Mennonite Home) surrounded by his loving family.

He graduated from Mechanicsburg High School and attended Lebanon Valley College and Millersville State College after which he came to Lancaster and was employed in sales with the J. B. VanSciver Furniture Co., the Lancaster Automobile Club (AAA) and L. B. Herr & Son Stationers. Dougherty then founded and headed Dougherty Office Supply Co. before joining Manheim Auto Auction as Director of Public Relations, Assistant General Manager, then as Senior Assistant General Manager in a 25-year career with the company, during which time the Manheim facility was grown to become the largest wholesale vehicle auction in the world. He came out of retirement in 2012 to work part time in the Arbitration and Marketing Departments of ABC Lancaster Auto Auction. As an avocation Jim was Lancaster Suburban Cable’s TV color commentator for local high school and college football and basketball broadcasts for 20 years prior to that company’s acquisition by Comcast.

Dougherty, in addition to having participated in sports in high school and college, was widely recognized in fast pitch softball, playing in the Lancaster Recreation League, the Pennsylvania Major League and the Eastern Seaboard League, being named to several tournament and league all star teams during his 30-year career. Jim was the recipient of the Bing Conlin Award for service to softball in 1985; inducted into the ASA Pennsylvania Softball Hall of Fame in 2003; the Lancaster County Softball Half-Century Team in 2008 and the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. Doc also played in the Lancaster and Columbia Recreation Basketball Leagues for over 15 years, coached the Elks Midget Football team for 15 years, the Lancaster Twp. Midget Baseball team for 5 seasons and was with the Columbia Raiders Semi-Pro Football team in the early 1960’s. He umpired ASA and PIAA fast-pitch softball for several years in addition to playing and umpiring in the Over-60 Modified Softball League later in life. 

Jim was a long-time member and past trustee of the Lancaster BPOElks #134 Lodge where he also sang in the memorial chorus and bowled in the lodge’s duckpin league. He was a past member of the Lancaster Sportswriters & Broadcasters Assn., the Fellowship of Rabbits and had served on the boards of directors of Pennsylvania Big 33 Scholarship Foundation, Milagro House Foundation, Red Rose Midget Football League, Lancaster Recreation Softball League, Hempfield Area Midget Sports, Manheim Touchdown Club and the Pennsylvania Independent Auto Dealers Assn., having served the latter as Secretary and Treasurer.

An ardent follower of high school and small college sports, Doc had mixed loyalties, rooting for his sons, Steve and Bill Dougherty in McCaskey football and baseball and daughter, Deni, in Tornado track. He, however, supported the red and black of Hempfield when his grandsons Rob and Matt Dougherty and Max Hostetter played football for the Knights. 

The Dougherty’s were charter members of Church of the Apostles UCC where he was a past member of church council, sang in the choir, narrated dramatic productions and ushered.

Dawn, his wife of 51 years, predeceased him in 2017 as did daughter, Kimberly L. Kosky, in 2018. Jim leaves three children: Stephen W. Dougherty, wife Mary Jane, Greenbackville, VA; William L. Dougherty, wife Tina, Mount Gretna; and Denise E. Hostetter, husband Todd, Lancaster; along with seven grandchildren, Rob & Matt Dougherty, Bethany Jenks, Jared Kosky, Kelli Kensinger, Jamie Dougherty and Max Hostetter and eight great-grandchildren, Gavin and Logan Dougherty, J. J., Jax and Juniper Kosky, Sophia Jenks and Milo and Rhett Dougherty.

He was the son of James and Elizabeth Dougherty, Mechanicsburg, PA, both deceased, as are two older sisters, Winifred D. Swick of Nazereth, PA and Josephine D. Keiser, State College, PA. The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Hospice & Community Care for their compassionate care. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at Church of the Apostles, 1850 Marietta Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603 on Friday, November 1, 2024 at 4:00 PM. An informal gathering will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice & Community Care, 685 Good Dr., Po Box 4125. Lancaster, PA 17601-2426.