Mary Kay (Mader) Dougherty

After a lifetime of incredible memories we bid farewell to our mother and wife, Mary Kay
Dougherty. She was the matriarch of a blended family of 12.
Mary Kay Dougherty, born January 7, 1944, passed away peacefully December 23, 2023,
surrounded by her family, both in person and in spirit. She was born in Grand Rapids, MN, to
Paul and Emily Mader, and grew up in Pengilly. She graduated from Greenway High School
and worked for Hanna Mining. She married Fred Dyson in 1966 and became a mother to
his two children, Rick and Jane, whose mother, Catherine Tyler Dyson, had passed away.
Mary Kay then had two children with Fred Dyson, Paul and Michelle.
Mary Kay and Fred eventually made their home in Viroqua Wisconsin. After Fred’s untimely
death, she lived in Viroqua with her four children until becoming reacquainted with John
Dougherty, whose wife Dorothy Madden Dougherty, had also passed away. They married in
1975, and Mary Kay moved to Hibbing to become a mother to eight more children, making
it a grand total of 12.
Mary Kay’s accomplishments are far and wide. At 18, she won a national typing contest in
New York City; She was a powerful bowler, scoring more than one 300-point game
(unfortunately one of them on a first date). Nona, as she was called, was also a nearly
scratch golfer, better than her husband, and often the best of any foursome in which she
played. She could play a mean ukulele, banjo, and piano and loved to sing and polka. She
was her happiest in her gardens and was a self taught botanist. She spent hours in her
garden (and her kids’ gardens) getting her hands dirty and using her creativity to make
things beautiful. She was iconic, not only in her sense of style, but also in her entertaining,
gift-giving, and making people feel welcome and appreciated. She was not afraid to be on
the forefront of fashion. Her daughters and nieces were constantly raiding her closets for
unique clothes, hats, and purses.
And, of course, family – the heart and soul of Mary Kay’s world. Her definition of family
extended beyond bloodlines, embracing anyone and everyone who wandered into her orbit.
Whether it was corralling a dozen kids for a family photo or hosting a raucous Christmas Eve
dinner for a small army, Mary Kay made sure that love and laughter were on the menu.
Finally, it’s time to set the record straight after 50 years. Mary Kay was the actual
mastermind behind John Dougherty’s epic pot roast recipe…it’s all about the Marsala wine.
Rest in peace Nona. May your afterlife be filled with endless doggy kisses, blooming
gardens, fashion finds, and a golf course that never runs out of fairways.
Mary Kay was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Fred, many fine dogs,
whom she loved, and many bad dogs, whom she also loved, and fed unconditionally from
the table, much to their owners’ chagrin.
She is survived by her husband, John Dougherty, 12 children, 24 grandchildren, and 10 great
grandchildren. She is also survived by nieces and nephews Bill and Jack Dyson and Lisa
Handowski, and many, many Dougherty nieces, and nephews.

Jane Dougherty (Jack) Cheesebro - Will (Becca) Cheesebro and their children Mackenzie and Reilly;
Katie Cheesebro Gerber (Steve) and their children Fulton, Beverly, John, and Charles; Andy
Cheesebro; Tim Cheesebro: Ann Dougherty Smith (David): Jeff Dougherty (Kelle Degnan),
and their children Reilly and Curran; Rick Dyson and his children Fritz and- Anneliese
Pat Dougherty (Gina) and their children Devany Dougherty Gorman (Cody) and their child
Raya; Damon, Lilly, Isabella; Jane Dyson Vincent (Michael) and their child Kaylie Vincent Ruble
(Ben); Kate Worth (Tom) and their children Alex and Madelyn;
Tom Dougherty (Liz Carlsen) and their family Deena Dougherty, Bethany Carlsen Szweduik
(Marshal) and their child Ryder; Dan Dougherty (Becky); and their children Samantha
Peloquin (Steve) and their children Madden and Beckham; Nick, Hannah; Meghan
Dougherty (Vince Jordan) and their children Dominic and Lillian; Paul Dyson (Molly) and
Mrs. Beasley; Michelle Anderson (John) and their children Nara, Tanner.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Hibbing Foundation or SLC6A1
https://slc6a1connect.org/want-to-help, a patient organization formed to help kids with a
rare genetic disorder. This is in honor of her great grandchild.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00AM on Saturday, December 30, 2023 at the Blessed Sacrament Church in Hibbing.  Father Daniel Weiske will officiate and Fr. Bill Skarich will con-celebrate.  Visitation will be held an hour prior to the mass starting at 10:00AM.  Interment will take place at the Maple Hill Columbarium in Hibbing at a later date.  Arrangements are with the Dougherty Funeral Home of Hibbing.