Benton Hoskins Doherty, 85, died on March 6, 2011, after a long illness. Born on April 19, 1925, he was raised in Waynesboro, Miss., and Elmhurst and was a resident of Oak Park for 25 years. During World War II he served as a marine in the battle of Okinawa and in China. Benton earned a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and was a principal at Holmes School in the 1970s. He later worked as an investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor.
Mr. Benton was actively involved in the Oak Park community as a volunteer for PADS, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Third Unitarian Church and the University of Illinois Historian’s Office. He retired in 1991 and moved with his family to northern Virginia in 2006. He loved golf, bridge, reading and spending time with his family.
Benton Doherty is survived by his children, Denise Mattingly and Deborah (Fred) Beuttler; and his grandchildren, Colleen and Erin Mattingly and Frederick, Nathan and Hans Beuttler.
His body was donated for medical research through the Body Donation Registry. In lieu of flowers, donations to West Suburban PADS, P.O. Box 797, Oak Park, IL 60303 are appreciated.
Arrangements were handled by C & A Mortuary Company in Maryland.
