John F. Dougherty

John F. Dougherty, 80, passed away October 30, 2008 in his Wyomissing residence.

His wife, Mary Ellen (Gallagher) Dougherty, died February 12, 1993.

Born in Philadelphia, he was a son of the late John A. and Mary (Brennan) Dougherty.

A U.S. Army Veteran, he served in Japan from 1946 to 1947.

John was a 1952 graduate of LaSalle University and continued his collegiate career at the University of Chicago's National Institute of Corrections, completing their law program in 1972.

He was elected Magisterial District Judge and served from 1983 to 2007. He also served as Senior Magisterial Judge for the Commonwealth of PA. John was a prior Chief Adult Probation Officer for Berks County and served in the field of corrections since 1951, working in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Huntingdon County. He was also an instructor in Criminal Justice at Alvernia College for 20 years, retiring in 1995.

John was both a member and Extraordinary Minister at St. Ignatius Loyola Roman Catholic Church, Whitfield.

He was affiliated with many organizations. John was the past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Probation, Parole and Correction; past president of the Berks County Chief of Police Association; past president of the Berks County Special Court Judges Association; past Grand Knight of the Light of Christ Council #8726, where he was a charter member, he was also a former district deputy for the K of C, he was past Faithful Navigator Pius IX Assembly, 4th Degree K of C; past president of St. Brendon Div #1 Ancient Order of Hibernians in Berks County and was currently serving as president of the county board.

John is survived by three sons, J. Stephen, husband of Anne, Ft. Myers, FL; Thomas P, husband of Elizabeth, Wyomissing; Timothy M, husband of Susan, Wyomissing and one daughter, Kathleen A. Dougherty, Chambersburg.

Other survivors include two brothers, Frank, Florida and Joseph, Marlton, NJ and two sisters, Rosemary Kaminski, Runnemede, NJ and Bernadette, wife of James Mollo, Germany.

There are six grandchildren, Melissa, wife of Brad Moser; Jennifer Dougherty; Margaret, wife of John Campbell; Katherine, wife of Zach Orth; Bridget Dougherty and Timothy J. Dougherty and three great-grandchildren, Riley Orth; Rhain Moser, and Ridge Moser. A daughter-in-law, Karen Dougherty, West Lawn also survives him.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday at 11 a.m. in St. Ignatius Church, 2810 St. Albans Dr. Sinking Spring, PA 19608. Entombment will be in Gethsemane Cemetery. Friends may call Monday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Tuesday from 9 to 10:15 a.m. in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Ignatius Church at the above address. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.