Home Nonprofit & Education Education Taunton state Rep. Doherty dies of cancer at 82

Taunton state Rep. Doherty dies of cancer at 82

By

James Bessette

-

02/17/2025

Rep Doherty — REP. CAROL A. DOHERTY, who has served in the commonwealth's General Court since 2020, died Feb. 15 at the age of 82. / COURTESY REP. CAROL A. DOHERTY

TAUNTON – Rep. Carol A. Doherty, a Democrat and former longtime educator who has represented the 3rd Bristol district in the Mass. Statehouse for the last five years, died Feb. 15 from pancreatic cancer. She was 82. Doherty was first elected to the commonwealth’s General Court as a representative in 2020. That year, she defeated

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TAUNTON – Rep. Carol A. Doherty, a Democrat and former longtime educator who has represented the 3rd Bristol district in the Mass. Statehouse for the last five years, died Feb. 15 from pancreatic cancer. She was 82. Doherty was first elected to the commonwealth’s General Court as a representative in 2020. That year, she defeated Republican Kelly Dooner to win the district – which represents Taunton and Easton. Doherty won re-election in 2022 over Republican Christopher Coute by with 57% of the vote and was re-elected again, this time unopposed, in November. Doherty’s death was announced on social media and sentiments were shared by several elected colleagues, including U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. and U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., on multiple platforms. Auchincloss said in a Facebook post that Doherty had an “insistent integrity that made everyone around her do better.” According to her legislative biography, Doherty, a daughter of an immigrant family, was born in Fall River in 1942 and has lived in Taunton since 1965. Her career in education included teaching at Bennett Elementary School in Taunton and later served as a guidance counselor. Later in her career, Doherty served five terms on the Taunton School Committee and was also president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association for two terms from 1980 through 1984. The MTA in a statement said Doherty “fought tirelessly” for families, ensuring that preK-16 educators’ voices were heard in shaping the commonwealth’s public education system. “Even in her final weeks, [Doherty] was fighting for public sector workers, leading efforts to ensure a dignified retirement by advocating for greater transparency in 403(b) retirement plans,” the MTA said. “Beyond her leadership, Carol was deeply compassionate and unfailingly generous. She had a way of making everyone she spoke with feel seen and valued.” Doherty was also for 18 years the director for professional development at Northeastern University’s School of Education in Boston. Details on Doherty’s services are still pending. James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.