Steven Lee Dougherty

Steven Lee Dougherty, 75, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, lovingly surrounded by his family. The only son of Philip and Ruth (Stevens), he was born in 1935 in Portland, Maine. He graduated in 1953 from Deering High School and graduated Colby College class of 1957. He married Mary Jane (Thomas) in 1957, also a 1953 Deering High School graduate. He first worked in Lynn, Mass., at GE and then moved to Yarmouth in 1961, when he began working for Carnation, Inc. In 1970 he started working for Gallo Wines, which began a career in the beverage business. In the 1970s he was an owner of Cumberland and York Distributors, known most for the popular beer of the time, Shlitz. He named his boat "the real Gusto" and he and his family spent many weekends with friends from Yarmouth and Cousin's Island on the Casco Bay. Upon moving to Yarmouth he became quickly involved in town politics. He was appointed to the Finance Committee and served as a selectman for both the Zoning Board and the Planning Board. He and Mary Jane left Maine for a few years to live in Duxbury, Mass., and Pasadena, Calif. They returned to Raymond, Maine, in 1990 and in 1996 moved to Higgins Beach, Scarborough where his family had been spending summers since 1940. He quickly became involved in Scarborough politics, serving on the Planning Board. He volunteered for the Portland Chamber of Commerce, and he worked at the airport and for cruise ships sharing his wealth of knowledge with visitors searching for places to spend their time in Maine, the Vacationland. He continued to remain involved until 2002 when his Parkinson's, first diagnosed in 1988, made it impossible to continue. He enjoyed his winters in Bonita Springs, Fla., and his summers at Higgins Beach. He was rarely seen without a smile or a dog and was always willing to socialize at any time, with a beer in hand. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Jane (Thomas); his eldest son Thomas and his wife Vicki and their two daughters Megan and Allie of Rogers Ark.; his daughter Jane O'Connell, formerly of Needham, Mass., and her husband Brian and their three children Caitlin, Patrick and Colleen of Scarborough, Maine; his son John and his wife Patti and their two children Brynn and Kyle of Jupiter, Fla. He also leaves his cousin Danta Gagnon (Stevens) (who was more like the sister he never had) and her husband Lloyd of Higgins Beach, Scarborough, Maine. Family and friends are invited to a memorial visitation on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011 at 10 a.m., followed immediately by a memorial funeral service at 11 a.m. at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Steven's memory to the Parkinson's Foundation, Maine Chapter, PO Box 1730, Portland, Maine, 04104 or to the Scarborough Rescue Unit, 246 U.S. Rte 1, Scarborough, Maine, 04074. Steven's family would like to thank the staff at Pine Point Nursing Home in Scarborough for their care during the past year and most recently to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough and to Court Creamer, RN of the Maine Medical Center, all who made this long road of Parkinson's a bit smoother. Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Steve's guestbook.