William J Doherty

He was born to Michael and Brigid (Ryan) Doherty, in Chicago, on December 6, 1935. Bill was a great basketball player, winning accolades in high school and college, and walked on to the team at the University of Cincinnati after transferring from Iowa State. One Sunday, he met Frances Stavale walking home from church. Upon graduation, they were married and celebrated their 65th anniversary earlier this year.

Bill received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Cincinnati and was an instructor and basketball coach at St. Philip High School in Chicago and at La Salle High School in Cincinnati. In 1963, he moved with his young family to Indianapolis to begin teaching in the history department at Marian College (now Marian University). He earned his doctorate from Indiana University. Bill enjoyed 60-years at Marian serving more than 37 years as a teacher before retiring as professor emeritus in 2000 and then maintained a carrel at the library through the year of his passing. In addition to being an educator, he fully embraced the community at Marian serving on countless committees and enjoying lifelong friendships with colleagues and students alike. Bill enjoyed visiting family in Ireland and going on trips organized by Marian to Europe and Greece. He was past president of The Friends of the Indiana State Archives, a member of the Indianapolis Literary Club, and a volunteer at the Boulevard Place St. Vincent dePaul Food Pantry.

He was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, and great grandfather. Bill had the proverbial Irish wit, quick with a joke, a wonderful storyteller, and happy to debate and discuss any subject under the sun.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents Michael and Brigid, his sister Mary Davis, and his brother Jack Doherty.

He is survived by his wife, Frances; children Tom (Mimi Commons), Pat, Mary (Tim Christensen), and Nora (James Smith); grandchildren, Clare Doherty, Eleanor Doherty Soltan, Peter Doherty (Meryl Harden), Madeline Smith, Alex Smith, Connor Smith, and Jack Branigan; and great grandchild, Cillian Eiteljorge.

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 13, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Crown Hill Funeral Home, 700 West 38th Street. A funeral mass will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 14, at Bishop Chartrand Memorial Chapel at Marian University, 3200 Cold Spring Road.

Memorial donations may be made in Bill’s name to Marian University at www.marian.edu/_forms/give-to-marian or St. Vincent dePaul Food Pantry at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/StVincentdePaul_Indy/give-2-1.html