Ethel J. Doherty

November 20, 1926 - April 4, 2026

Ethel Johnstone (McTaggart) Doherty, age 99, of Wilmington, Delaware died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Saturday, April 4, 2026. She was born in Jamaica Plain, Boston, Massachusetts, the youngest child of Scottish immigrants James McTaggart and Rose A. (Reid) McTaggart, and grew up in Medford, Massachusetts.

In 1944, Ethel graduated from Medford High School and received her B.A. degree in Education from Lowell State Teachers College (University of Massachusetts Lowell) in 1948. In both high school and college, she was active in athletics. After graduation, Ethel taught second and third grade for two years at the Hervey School in Medford. She subsequently married Francis W. Doherty of Medford and shared 62 years of loving and devoted marriage with him until his death in 2014.

After marrying, Ethel and Fran moved to Wilmington, but soon moved again to Akron, Ohio where four of their five children were born. Returning to Wilmington in 1960, they joined Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and Ethel became active in religious education, notably volunteering at St. Paul's School in Wilmington and, in 1970, starting a program at IHM to catechize children and young adults in the Diocese of Wilmington with intellectual and developmental disabilities and prepare them to receive the sacraments. This latter effort was built upon and expanded work begun at Ursuline Academy in the 1960s. Ethel became a leader in religious education for those with special needs, giving workshops in Baltimore and Miami. Her work in Delaware with those with intellectual and developmental disabilities was recognized by the Arc of Delaware.

After her children were in school, Ethel returned to the classroom as an elementary school teacher. She taught third grade at St. Peter's Cathedral School in Wilmington and at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Liftwood, Brandywine Hundred. She was an active member of IHM Parish for over 65 years and taught in the parish's Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program (CCD, now called CRE or Christian Religious Education). In addition, she was involved with the Christian Family Movement and Cursillo and prepared Catholics in her local Girl Scout Troop to receive the Marian Medal. In retirement, Fran and Ethel enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and abroad. Her most memorable foreign trip was to Israel and the Holy Land.

Ethel is survived by her daughter Mary E. Levine of Wilmington and her husband Irving M. Levine, by her sons John D. Doherty and Thomas E. Doherty, both of Wilmington, by her daughter Patricia A. Rooney of Easton, Maryland and her husband Kevin P. Rooney, by her daughter-in-law Mary Cushing Doherty of North Wales, Pennsylvania, and by four grandchildren: John F. Doherty, Margaret R. Doherty (Edward Preece), Colleen E. Doherty (Harsh Patel), and Suzanne M. Twaddell (Matthew). Ethel is also survived by two great-granddaughters, Zara Y. Twaddell and Este S. Twaddell, and by many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her eldest son, James F. Doherty of Horsham, Pennsylvania, by her grandsons Thomas R. Doherty and Kevin J. Levine, by her brothers, Thomas J. McTaggart and James F. McTaggart, and her sister Isobel M. (McTaggart) Matson.

The family would like to thank Ethel's home health aides who made it possible for her to remain at home in the care of her family during her final months, especially Kiay, Ellen, Tonie, and Meisha of Your Own Home and Beverly of Delaware Hospice.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 14th at 11 A.M. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 4701 Weldin Rd., Wilmington DE 19803. Friends and family are invited to a visitation from 10-11 A.M. in the church. After Mass, a burial service will be held at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Peter's Cathedral School, 310 West 6th Street, Wilmington DE 19801 or to The Arc of Delaware, 2 South Augustine Street, Suite B, Wilmington DE 19804.