Family and friends mourn the passing of Cecelia Margaret (Peggy) Doherty, nee Brodie, on March 24 at the age of 99. Peggy died at the Rockville Terrace Senior Living community in Fairfield, California.
Peggy Brodie was born on March 8, 1926, in San Francisco, and raised in Alameda, where she lived for more than 75 years before moving to Solano County. Her father, William Thomas Brodie, was an Ironworker who helped build several Bay Area bridges, including the Golden Gate. Her mother, Anna Montague Brodie, ran the household.
In 1947 Peggy graduated from UC Berkeley, where she also earned a teaching credential. She taught middle and high school grades in Alameda for several years before leaving teaching to care for her children.
Peggy was a devout and active Catholic. She was a lifelong parishioner of St. Barnabas Church in Alameda until moving to Vallejo, where she joined St. Basil the Great Church. She served in leadership roles at St. Barnabas Parish and was a founding member of the Companions of the Precious Blood. She remained devoted to the Companions throughout her life.
At St. Basil’s Parish she was active in the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Vocation Committee, and served as a lector. She was a member of the Prayer Shawl Ministry, where she drew on her lifelong knitting pastime to knit her prayers into dozens of shawls for people who needed comfort.
As a young woman, Peggy belonged to the Eire Og (Young Ireland) group in San Francisco, where she met her future husband, John B. Doherty, a native of County Donegal in Ireland.
They married in 1949 and began a life together as soulmates who brought out the best in each other by emphasizing love, faith, family, community involvement, hard work, laughter, and song.
Between 1950 and 1961, Peggy and John had seven children. When the youngest started school, Peggy began teaching English as a Second Language at the Alameda Adult School, which became a passion. She earned a master’s degree in teaching ESL from San Francisco State University in the early 1970s—with enthusiastic support from her husband and with her faculty exam panel asking just one key question: “How did you do it, with seven children at home?”
Peggy’s career of some 40 years truly took off when she was hired by the City College of San Francisco, Centers Division, where she served as a teacher, resource instructor, counselor, and administrator. A defining moment at the John Adams campus came when a young student came into the office looking for his counselor. “You know the one,” he told the office staff. “She’s tiny, but mighty.”
“Oh, you mean Peggy,” was the answer. Thereafter, she kept a nameplate on her desk: Peggy Doherty. Tiny But Mighty.
As an active member of professional organizations, Peggy led numerous workshops and became an expert in assessment while consulting with the Calif. Dept. of Education and the federally funded Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) program.
Peggy continued to consult with CASAS until she was close to 80 years old.
Starting in the 1960s, wanting to help counter discriminatory practices in Alameda, Peggy and John became leaders in organizations including Alamedans for a Better Community (ABC) and Alamedans With HOPE (Housing Opportunities Provided Equally).
For all her career success, family was central for Peggy. She was fortunate to live within walking distance of her parents throughout their lives, and near her brothers. Peggy cooked for family gatherings, stood up with and for her kids in their pursuits and challenges, hosted backyard weddings and welcomed and loved sons- and daughters-in-law, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She continued to knit, even within days of her death.
Peggy was predeceased by her beloved husband of 47 years, John, by her eldest daughter, Mary Catherine Martinez, and by her older brother, James Robert Brodie.
She is survived by her younger brother, John Thomas (Jack) Brodie, of Tucson; and her children, Patricia Cole (John), Barbara Doherty (Ron Carver), Christine Close (Paul), James Doherty (Barbara), William Doherty (Jennifer), and John Doherty (Colleen).
Peggy is also survived by her grandchildren, Shaun Tanner, Megan Tanner, Ryan Cole (Dana Wilson), Leah Carver, Elena Carver, Maya Carver, Alex Close (Joanna), Brian Close (Jennifer Ferris), Michael Stout, Jeffrey Stout, Melissa Sumner (Kenneth), Kevin Doherty (Marco), and Emily Doherty (Eric Dattore); 14 great-grandchildren (with one great-great grandchild on the way), more than 40 cherished nieces and nephews in the U.S. and Ireland, and many friends.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 10, 4 to 8 p.m., with vigil/rosary service at 6 p.m., at Twin Chapels Mortuary, 1100 Tennessee Street in Vallejo.
Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, April 11, at 10 a.m., at St. Basil the Great Catholic Church, Nebraska and Tuolumne streets, Vallejo. Fr. Leon Juchniewicz presiding.
Committal service and burial will be held Friday, April 11 at 2:30 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, San Pablo.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to: St. Basil Conference of St. Vincent de Paul Society, 1225 Tuolumne St. Vallejo, CA 94590 (or your local conference), or Solano Winds Community Concert Band, P.O. Box 722, Fairfield, CA 94533.
Arrangements entrusted to the direction and care of Twin Chapels Mortuary, Vallejo (707) 552-6696.
