Anna Doherty

A Funeral Mass for Anna Etschmayer Doherty, age 92, of Clarksville, Tn, will be Thursday, March 10, 2022 at 2:00 PM at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Chapel. She will be laid to rest alongside her husband at Riverview Cemetery in Clarksville. The family will receive friends Wednesday, March 9, 2022 from 4:00 PM-7:00 PM at Sykes Funeral Home and again on Thursday from 1:00 PM until the time of service at the church.

Anna, loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend entered the gates of heaven on March 3rd, 2022 at her home while her son held her hand. She was born June 22, 1929 in Vienna, Austria. She was the middle sibling of five children born to Alois and Louisa Etschmayer. Anna enjoyed a fairytale childhood in the mountains spending time with family, picking blackberries, playing her accordion and frolicking with her friends. Her idyllic childhood ended abruptly on March 12th, 1938 when Hitler invaded Vienna. At the age of eleven she fled from her home while hiding her childhood treasures in a hole in an old tree. She still has shrapnel in her body from a grenade explosion. Anna remembered waiting in bread lines all day only to get to the front and hear that there was no more food left. She ended up as a servant for the Nazis at a large estate until the war ended. After the war, Anna left for Goose Bay, Labrador where she unknowingly went to work at a steakhouse that her future husband, Joseph Doherty, managed. She returned to Vienna after earning enough money to buy her mother an apartment in downtown Vienna. Meanwhile Joseph’s steakhouse was declining in popularity and he begged Anna to return and they were married on September 4th, 1965. They were living in Michigan when they adopted their son Patrick in 1968. Soon after, Joseph was called to Vietnam. Anna and Patrick moved to Vienna and stayed at her mom’s new apartment. When Joseph returned, they moved to Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii. Their final move was to Clarksville, Tennessee in 1972 and Joseph worked at Fort Campbell. Anna was a devoted mother and after Patrick began first grade at the Clarksville Academy, she got busy. She studied and earned her citizenship. She became very active in the Immaculate Conception Church and especially with the alter society and other women’s organizations. Anna also became active in the Clarksville Academy and especially the annual Bazaar. Then she discovered her true passion, volunteering for the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. Anna ended up managing the soup kitchen for 38 years. She loved giving back to the less fortunate and she never wanted anyone to go hungry like she did during the war. She was very honored when she received a visit from Sharon Puckett of Channel 4 News and Anna was honored as a volunteer of the year for the state of Tennessee.  Anna always enjoyed traveling, gardening, cooking and especially baking. Her final passion in life was spending time with her beloved grandson, Joey Doherty. He quickly became the source of her joy and happiness. She supported him in everything he did and attended as many of his events as possible. They loved playing and laughing together. Anna Doherty will be truly and deeply missed by everyone who was fortunate to have their lives touched by her. Anna Doherty was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Joseph; her sister Hilde Stary of Vienna; her sister Hermine Etschmayer of Vienna; her brother Hans Etschmayer of Switzerland; her brother Louis Etschmayer of Innsbrook. Anna Doherty is survived by her son Patrick Doherty and her grandson Joey Doherty, both of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her memory to the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen of Clarksville, TN. (loavesandfishestn.org)

Please visit Anna's guestbook at www.sykesfuneralhome.com and share a memory with the family.