Carol Lee Dougherty's Obituary
Carol Lee Dougherty, age 69 passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2022, in Gainesville, Florida. She was born on April 15, 1953, in Edison, New Jersey to Leon and Mary Calantoni Samartino.
She received her undergraduate degrees in Psychology, and Social Work at Stockton State College and received her Master of Government Administration at the University of Pennsylvania.
For 40 years Carol was an advocate and leader in the field of independent living services for people with developmental disabilities. She spent her life helping individuals with developmental disabilities live their lives with independence and dignity and grace. Whether it was assisting them with housing or employment or community involvement she made it her life’s work to help these individuals to lead a life they could be proud of on their own terms. She was a leader in this field with most of her career spent as the Executive Director of Partnerships for People, an organization she ran for 28 years until they were acquired by a multi-state organization that would free them to expand on their mission of giving, at which point she retired and aided in overseeing the transition.
She was undefeated in the kitchen. Her skills were easy to write down but impossible to duplicate and her talent was both a family heritage following her mother’s lead that amplified throughout her life. She was a quick study and was able to apply her intelligence and ability to learn across multiple fields throughout her lifetime. She gave the best neck rubs at family gatherings, and she was an influential aunt to all her nieces and nephews. She loved to travel, loving annual trips to Cancun, and her last great adventure, with her husband John, took them on a European tour where she left a piece of her soul in Florence, Italy. She loved her grandbabies more than anything in this world and it breaks all of the family’s hearts that they will never have the chance to know her personally as they grow up outside of family stories.
Carol is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, John Kevin Dougherty, son, Jason Dougherty, and his wife Stephanie Ihnow; grandsons, Thomas, and Henry Dougherty; sister, Laurie Samartino; brother, Paul Padlak brother-in-law, James Dougherty, and wife Cindy Dougherty; sister-in-law, Judith Sweeney, and husband William Sweeney; brother-in-law, Jeff Dougherty, and wife Cindy Dougherty; niece, Katie Dougherty; nephew, Kevin Dougherty; niece Brigid Case, and husband James Case; niece, Brianna Sweeney; nephew, Brett Sweeney; niece, Julianne Calcote, and husband Kyle Calcote; nephew Jeffrey Dougherty and wife Haley Dougherty; niece, Lea Padlak; nephew; Ricky Moucatel.
Preceded in death by her sister Nancy Samartino
A Celebration of Life for Carol will be held at later date in Gainesville and in New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, for those who wish please consider donating to Partnerships for People at www.khs.org in Carol’s memory.
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