Dan A. Doherty, Jr. of Spring Branch, Texas
August 24, 1931 – October 22, 2019
Dan A. Doherty, Jr, loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and life-long New Mexico and Colorado rancher passed away October 22, 2019, in Spring Branch, Texas.
Dan was born in Clayton, New Mexico on August 24, 1931, to Dan A. Doherty, Sr. and Hazel Lane Doherty. He was raised in Folsom, New Mexico and lived there most of his adult life. Dan attended schools in Folsom and Des Moines, graduating from Des Moines High School in 1949, where he earned a reputation on the basketball court as a fierce competitor and was salutatorian of his graduating class. After a semester at Colorado State University, Dan returned home to marry his high school sweetheart, Loren Purvines, on April 11, 1950.
Dan worked on the family ranch nearly every day of his life from the time he could ride horseback, working alongside his father, Dan Sr., and grandfather, Joe Doherty. He loved what he did – cattle ranching, and spent a lifetime working to improve the cattle he raised and the process by which he raised them. Dan had a special place in his heart for good Hereford cattle, Appaloosa horses, and was extremely proud of his Irish heritage. All who knew Dan respected him for his honesty, integrity and work ethic, as well as his dry wit and sense of humor.
Dan served over 25 years on the Des Moines Public Schools School Board, most of those years as its president. He also served on the board of directors for the First National Bank/Sunwest Bank in Raton for a number of years. He was a lifelong member of the local Catholic Church in Folsom/Des Moines. Dan carried on the legacy of his grandparents, Annie Cassidy Doherty and Joe Doherty, by helping to ensure St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Folsom, which Joe had built around 1905, was maintained so mass could continue to be held there.
Dan was preceded in death by his parents, by his son Patrick in 1976, and by his loving wife Loren in 1984. He is survived by his daughter, Kathleen Fourqurean (George), of Lubbock, Texas; son, Dr. Mike Doherty (Ginger), of New Braunfels, Texas; daughter, Dana Brandt (Greg), of New Braunfels, Texas; sister Elaine Kennedy (Dick) of Des Moines, NM, and brother Jim Doherty (Sylvia) of Clayton, NM. Also surviving are grandchildren Susan Doherty Osteen, Michael Doherty, Cara Doherty Hassell, Rachel Roberts, Patrick Fluitt, Daniel Fluitt, Belinda Brown, Loren Riedel, Kate Riedel, Dr. Taylor Mader, Hailey Wylie, 10 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service was held October 24th from 6:00-8:00 pm at Doeppenschmidt’s Funeral Home in New Braunfels, Texas. Rosary was at noon on Saturday, October 26th at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Folsom, New Mexico, and the funeral mass followed at 1:00 pm. Burial was in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Pallbearers were Kirk Kennedy, Brian Kennedy, Tim Doherty, Matt Doherty, Dan R. Doherty, Dino Cornay, and Roy Bradley.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to: Hope Hospice, 711 N. Walnut, New Braunfels, TX 78130; the Folsom Museum, P.O. Box 454, Folsom, NM 88419; or a specific designation to the building fund for St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Folsom, New Mexico, c/o St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 115 N. First St., Clayton, NM 88415.
The family would like to give special thanks to Kim and Rodney Dean of Creekside Personal Care Home, Hope Hospice of Bulverde, and to the caregivers at the end of Dan’s life – all for the kind, compassionate care they provided and the tremendous difference they made.
