Maria Kennedy Dougherty

Maria Kennedy Dougherty, beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend, went to her eternal home in heaven on Sunday, July 21, 2024.

Maria Louise Kennedy was born June 16, 1962, in Washington, DC, to Edward and Mary Kennedy. She grew up in Forestville, Maryland, graduating from La Reine High School in 1980. She earned her A.S. degree in nursing from Prince George’s Community College, and went on to work at D.C. General Hospital, Georgetown University Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.

At Georgetown, she met and fell in love with Peter Dougherty, who was a resident in the Department of Anesthesiology. The two were married on September 27, 1997, in the beautiful Dahlgren Chapel at Georgetown University.

Maria loved many things in life, especially her family. She was a loving and supportive wife, and an amazing mother to her three daughters, Erin, Carly, and Caitlin. She lived her life for her “girls,” supporting them in all things. She attended all their activities at church and school, and nobody cheered more enthusiastically – or loudly – as Maria at their swim meets at River Falls.

Maria was a woman of deep faith who loved God and was a devout Catholic. She was a stalwart at the 5 p.m. Saturday Mass at Our Lady of Mercy, where her daughters serve as ushers. She often attended Daily Mass, loved the church’s music program, and was a frequent participant in many church activities.

Maria also loved animals, providing great lives to her rescue dogs Dobey, Cosmo, Charlie, and Daisy.

She loved all her friends, especially her closest friends, the Gilberts and the Zamas.

For entertainment, she loved music, theater, classic movies, classic TV dramas, and British Murder Mystery TV.

Maria left her mark on her family and the world as a generous, loving and kind woman who would do anything for anybody.

She is survived by her husband, Charles Peter Dougherty, Jr. M.D. of Potomac, Maryland, and her daughters Erin, Carly, and Caitlin; her mother, Mary Ombramonti Kennedy; brothers Daniel Kennedy (Debbie) of Tennessee and Timothy Kennedy (Cynthia) of Pennsylvania. She was preceded in death by her brother, Joseph Kennedy, in 2010, and her father, Edward Kennedy, in 2017.

She is also survived by nephews Robert Kennedy (Deanna), James Kennedy (Adele), Mark Kennedy (Sarah), Sean Kennedy, Brad Kennedy, Dustin Kennedy, and a niece, Katie Rose Kennedy.

A Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 30, 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 9200 Kentsdale Drive, Potomac, MD, 20854. It will be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow on Wednesday, July 31, at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton, Maryland, in a private service.