Obituary of Mary Ellen Doherty

Mary Ellen Meade Doherty, 74, of Old Bridge, passed away, surrounded by her loving family, on Friday, April 5th, 2013, after a courageous three year battle against ovarian cancer. She was born to the late James and Marie Ince Meade. Mary Ellen is survived by her loving husband, Thomas, her four children, Janice and Jim Tanke, Suzanne and Jamil Hermes, Gail and Steve Ciambruschini, Stephen and Chantal Doherty; her treasured grandchildren, Brianne and Kerry Leigh Tanke, George and Coco Hermes, Brandon and Lauren Ciambruschini; and her beloved service dog, Little Bear. She is also survived by her brothers, Patrick and Charles; her sisters, Cecilia, Elizabeth, Anne, Kathleen and Babs; and many loving relatives and friends. Mary Ellen attended St. Vincent Academy. She went on to start a family and later continued her education, eventually receiving her Masters in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and practiced as a Nurse Clinician. Throughout her life Mary Ellen embodied courage, strength and beauty. She believed in making a positive difference in all the lives she touched. She always maintained a sense of adventure and joy through thick and thin. She overcame life's many obstacles with strength, grace and style. Mary Ellen was passionate about her family and she loved to travel. She was an accomplished skier, scuba instructor, private pilot and entrepreneur. In her spare time she loved painting, photography and playing cards. The family will celebrate a life well lived with friends on Thursday, April 11th, from 2 to 4 & 7 to 9 PM, at Freeman Manalapan-Marlboro Funeral Home, 344 Route 9 North, Manalapan. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, April 12th, at 11:30 AM, at St. Thomas More Church, Manalapan. The family wishes to thank all of those who cared for her during her last few months. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (http://www.ocrf.org), 14 Penn Plaza, Suite 1710, New York, NY 10122.