Charles Thomas Dougherty

Charles was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the son of Charles and Mary Dougherty and brother of Eleanor Brewer on July 12, 1923. He was a veteran of World War II and served in the Army. He attended Penn State and the Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia. He met his wife, Katherine in Philadelphia and they were married in 1947. Later, he earned a Degree in Law from La Salle Extension University, a pioneer in Distance Learning.

In 1953, Charles and Katherine moved to California to begin his career in aerospace. There he worked for North American Aviation/Rockwell, on the Mercury, Apollo and Space Shuttle programs for 28 years. While employed by North American he was transferred to Cape Canaveral, Florida and to the Mississippi Test Facility, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and subsequently back to California each time. During the 1970's he was sent to Iran on a three month temporary assignment.

During his lifetime he participated in many philanthropic organizations, the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Brown Bag and the Second Harvest Food Bank. He was a devote Catholic and participated in Teaching C.C.D. He loved aviation and in the 1940's he earned a private pilots license which provided him the opportunity to fly private aircraft on the weekends throughout his adult life. As a pilot in the Civil Air Patrol he attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant.

Charles was a devoted husband, and father. He is survived by the love of his life of 72 years, Katherine, their children Mary Anne, Charles Jr. and wife Lisa, his grandchildren Jodi Kirkland, her husband Derek, and Shane Dougherty, and his great grandchildren Nixon and Grayson Kirkland.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday February 25, 2020 at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church located at 780 S. State Street, Hemet, California. Arrangements are handled by Miller-Jones Mortuary in Hemet, California.