Elizabeth Logan Gardner Dougherty

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Elizabeth Logan Gardner Dougherty

April 13, 1925 - August 7, 2012

Elizabeth Logan Gardner Dougherty, aka "Lizzie Logan'' or ''Betsy", 87, recently of North Little Rock AR, formerly of Lake Bluff and Park Ridge, IL, died peacefully in the arms of God and family on Tuesday, August 7, 2012.

Born April 13, 1925, Chicago, IL, the daughter of the late James Logan Gardner II and Hazel Minerva (Bradway) Gardner Hayes formerly of Boca Raton, FL and Park Ridge, IL. Betsy was a direct descendant of Magna Carta, Mayflower and American Revolution pioneer-ancestors who settled in Kentucky and Illinois.

In 3rd grade she played on the boy's baseball team and during WWII she volunteered and was later paid for temporary assignments riveting and installing aircraft linoleum for the war effort-even then, a lady to her core. She graduated from Maine Township High School, Park Ridge IL in 1943 with a group of lifelong friends affectionately dubbed ''the Dirty Dozen''.

She graduated Northwestern University in Evanston, IL with a B.S. in Speech and English minor becoming a travelling secretary for her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII). Train travels across the U.S. and high into the Canadian Rockies fed her own pioneering spirit and longing for adventure. Shortly after graduation she was a speech therapist at the prestigious (then boys-only) Iolani Preparatory School in Honolulu, HI. She travelled by oceanliner, SS Lurline, to and from ports in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Hawaii. Iolani School will be 150 years old in 2013. Betsy is seen climbing coconut tree trunks and hula dancing in more than one scrapbook photo!

She wed, in 1952 at the North Island Chapel, NAS San Diego, CA Robert H. Dougherty formerly of San Francisco, CA and Glasgow, Barren Co., KY just days before Bob shipped-out for the Korean War.

While raising two teenagers, Betsy was promoted to Editor, Technical Publications-Satellite & Weapons Systems Proposals at Lockheed Martin Corporation, formerly Ford Aerospace of Palo Alto, CA. She retired in 1991 in Gig Harbor, WA and removed to North Little Rock, AR in December, 2003.

Betsy's soul food included all things orchids, music, trees, water and huge, red-sky sunsets. Her love of each came from fishing trips with her beloved Granddaddy at ''The Camp'' just outside of Louisville, KY and at Park Ridge 2nd Presbyterian children's-teen summer camps/choir. She was an exotic indoor orchid grower until her death in 2012.

Although a woman of few words she loved them all-written and spoken, serious and poetic, humorous and biblical. She worked daily crossword puzzles for 70 years. She was an avid bridge player and had attained ''Life Master'' standing in the American Contract Bridge League.

She is survived by two children, Jane Gardner (Dougherty) Findley Robinson and Robert Bradway Dougherty, ''Brad'', both of North Little Rock, AR: Nephews and nieces, Neal Logan Gardner; Sara Liana Gardner; Mark Dougherty; Diane ''Dede'' (Dougherty) Ralston; Steve, Susan, Bob and Jackson Crane. Cousins, Virginia Ann Wood ''Ginny''; India Wood; Heather Wood Crist; Brad House, Elie, Kristi and Gebran Zod; and, all of their descendants.

Elizabeth (''Betsy'') was preceded in death by one brother, James Logan Gardner III, formerly of Park Ridge, IL, and his wife, Margery Ann (Qwist) Crane Gardner, formerly of North Little Rock, AR and Hayward, CA; grandparents, James Logan Gardner I of Louisville, KY, Emma Keats (Crutcher) Gardner of Louisville, KY, Emma Jane (''Nannie'') (Snell) Bradway of Park Ridge, IL, and Louis Arthur Bradway of Chicago and Greyslake IL then, Shoshone County, ID.

Her deepest wish was to connect her living relatives to lost ''cousins'' among all ancestor families in her beloved home states…

Delayed private memorial service(s) will be held in AR, CA, WA, IL, & KY

Donations in lieu of flowers:
https://compassionandchoices.org/
http://www.nature.org/
http://www.heifer.org
http://www.gideons.org

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4 Condolence(s)
Nomi Trapnell
Los Altos, CA
Liked
Friday, September 14, 2012

On behalf of the Los Altos/Los Altos Hills Newcomer Club, I would like to extend our condolences to the family. We note that Elizabeth was a valued past member of the club. Nomi Trapnell, President, Los Altos/Los Altos Hills Newcomer Club

Bettymae Sonnenburg
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Liked
Monday, September 3, 2012

August 26, 2012

There were memorable times with Betsy. I remember the Bullis house in Los Altos, Margy Pickles at San Antonio, life at Leonello Ave, and Friday nights playing cards and eating pizza. Betsy was a great bridge partner, and we went to tournaments in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, and several cities in British Columbia. After retirement, we both lived in Gig Harbor, WA, and continued our friendship there. She had her condo in Gig Harbor beautifully furnished to take advantage of the water inlet view. She was my friend for 49 years, and my bridge partner for 30 years. Don and I will miss her, and never forget her.

~ Bettymae Sonnenburg, Marietta, Georgia

Jay & Theresa
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Liked
Sunday, August 26, 2012

dear Brad and Jane - you really had a great MOM she was a HOOT and a lot of FUN.i loved her very much as i know you do . she will always be with us in our hearts mind and soul LOVE YA MISS YA.

Ginny Wood
Libertyville, IL
Liked
Friday, August 24, 2012

I admired "Betsy" my whole life, she was a role model for me as I was growing up.....I always marveled at her intelligence, wit,.... and she was just fascinating to be with.