Freddie Ray Doherty, 63, went to be with the Lord Sep. 5, 2021, in his home surrounded by family, after a short battle with cancer. Born May 12, 1958, in Paragould, Ark., he was the son of Carl and Bonnie Doherty. He graduated from Niangua High School in 1976 and obtained B.S. Ed., M.S. Ed. and Specialist in Education Administration degrees from Southwest Missouri State University.
Freddie began his career as a teacher and coach at Niangua High School and went on to teach and coach at Hartville High School, Springfield Central High School and Mansfield High School. He was middle school principal at Mansfield before becoming superintendent of Sherwood-Cass R-VIII School District. He moved from there to accept the position of superintendent of Oak Grove R-VI School District, from which he retired in 2018. On Aug. 11, 1990, he married Stacey Lynn Day in Springfield. They had one child, Cole Thomas Doherty, born in 1994.
Survivors include his wife; son and his significant other, Gabby Wilson; mother, Marshfield; sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Stan Johnson, Jefferson City; brother, David, Marshfield; eight nephews and nieces along with their children; and mother-in-law Sandra Day. He was preceded in death by his father and grandparents Freddie E. and Beulah Doherty and Adolphus and Allie Dunigan. Freddie loved sports--most enthusiastically basketball and baseball, and especially if Cole was playing or coaching. He and Stacey did everything together, including supporting Cole’s activities, working in the same school districts, and enjoying movies, shows and concerts. He had a natural charisma and that endeared him to everyone and was a jokester and prankster always making people laugh.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sep. 11, at the Oak Grove School District Performing Arts Center with visitation prior beginning at noon. Masks and social distancing are required inside the PAC. Graveside services will be held at Marshfield City Cemetery at 2 p.m. Monday, Sep. 13.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Freddie Doherty Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Stacey Doherty, P.O. Box 11, Oak Grove, Mo. 64075. Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove handled the arrangements. 816-690-4441
