John Joseph Dougher

John Joseph Dougher, 86, of Grace Ridge, Morganton, NC died Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at the Grace Ridge Health Care Center following a period of declining health. Born in Wilkes Barre, PA on April 17, 1922, he was a son of the late John Joseph and Della Midleton Dougher. During World War II, he served with the Signal Corps in Ft. Wayne, IN and after the war, he was employed with Magnavox. John later moved to Knoxville, TN where he worked for Wolverine Finishes and in 1963, he and his family moved to Morganton where he continued his employment with Wolverine which later became Inmont Corp. and BASF. He retired in the early 1980’s and then in 1986, he moved to Lehigh Acres, FL where he lived until returning to Morganton in 2005. John was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church and of the Knights of Columbus. He was a former member of Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club. For many years, John loved to travel with his family all over the United States in his R.V. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, John J. Dougher, Jr.; and a brother, Bill Dougher.Surviving are his wife of sixty-four years, Louise Troutman Dougher; daughters, Mary Lou Dougher Sossoman and her husband, Calvin, Maureen Dougher, and Anita Dougher all of Morganton, and Ann Dougher Lentz and her husband, Ray, of Beaufort, SC; sisters, Adele McAvoy of Ft. Myers, FL and Jane West of San Diego, CA; grandchildren, Matt and Jay Dougher, Mark Sossoman, Kathleen Sossoman Link, Tess Rios, Cindy Rios Covarrubbias, Staff Sgt. Alex Rios, Jennifer Bianchi, Brian and David Lentz; and great grandchildren, Barrett Dougher, Brendan, Conner, and Ian Sossoman, and Elizabeth Link.A funeral Mass will be said at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 14, 2009 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church with Father Kenneth Whittington officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery. The Rosary will be said at 5:00 p.m., Friday at Sossoman Funeral Home after which the family will receive friends until 7:00 p.m. Memorial gifts may be made to the American Heart Association, P. O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058-5216, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 728 W. Union St., Morganton, NC 28655, or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690.