The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THERE are so many words to describe the late legendary sporting icon Anita Doherty, but her mentor Wayne Smith aptly noted that she was a “mother to all” she came in contact with.

Doherty, a renowned former versatile athlete who coached just about every sport played in the Bahamas, passed away early Monday morning at the Rand Memorial Hospital at the age of 73.

The veteran educator for the past 45 years in both New Providence and Grand Bahama leaves behind her husband, John Doherty, a son John Jr, his wife Tara and two children Sean and Hadyn and numerous brothers and sisters.

One of her sisters, Deidre, remembered Anita as the “icon of the family. She was the head of the family of the girls. She is the matriarch of our family. She was my go to person, she was loving and generous and she was a true big sister. I was happy to share her with the world.”

Smith, who worked with Doherty in a number of levels in Grand Bahama and in particular in the high school system, recalled her as a “mother, an educator, a financier and as a big sister,” he said. “Everything that makes up a family, Doherty was.

“In the world of education, even if their mothers were alive, she became an instant parent to the children who she associated with. She was able to get the children to do a lot of things that even the parents couldn’t get them to do. She had that power over them to get them to do it.”

Smith said the children felt obligated to carry out her wishes because of the love, respect and admiration that they had for Doherty. They felt they had to do it because Doherty told them to do it.

A native of New Providence, Doherty moved to West End, Grand Bahama at the age of five with her parents and went on to attend the West End All Age School, the Hampton’s Girls School in Jamaica and Ulster College of Physical Education in Northern Ireland.

She returned home in 1970 and began her teaching career at Hawksbill All Age School in Grand Bahama before transferring to New Providence to teach at the DW Davis Junior High School.

After four years, she was back in Grand Bahama where she took up a post at the Freeport High Anglical High School, now the Bishop Michael Eldon School, where she became a household name.

Apart from her teaching profession, Doherty was an avid sports woman who excelled in a number of sports, representing Jamaica, Ireland and the Bahamas in field hockey, tennis, softball, netball and track and field were her major accomplishment came as a member of the Bahamas’ team in 1970 at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.

She can also be remembered for the roles she played as a director of the YMCA Keep Fit, president of the Bahamas Netball Association, secretary of the Grand Bahama Softball Association, treasurer of the InterScholastic Sports, a member of the committee that organised the 1977 CARIFTA Games, president of the Grand Bahama Tennis & Squash Club, president of the Grand Bahama Athletic Association, vice president of Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations and secretary of the Coed Pilot International.

At the 25th Silver Anniversary Banquet in July, 1998, the Bahamas Government recognised her for contribution to the growth of the nation. In November, 1998, she was honoured by the Zonta Club of Nassau Women’s ‘Living Legends’.

In 2005, she was inducted into the Grand Bahama Sports Hall of Fame. She was then inducted into the Bahamas Hall of Fame in 2011. Then in 2014, she was honoured by the Kamalamee Organisation.

She served as chief councillor (Mayor) for the city of Freeport from 2005-2008 and was currently working with the Grand Bahama Sports Council that is preparing for the return of the Grand Bahama Games this summer in preparation for the next Bahamas Games, tentatively set for next year.

Smith said in all of the accomplishments that Doherty achieved, many people didn’t know that she followed in her father’s footsteps and was an avid sailor and also a co-pilot, having flown many flights with her pilot husband.

“When you talk about people making an impact, whether you went to any school in Grand Bahama, the one person they knew was Anita Doherty. “Me personally, I always told her that Doherty is not a Bahamian name. No one knows your husband, but everybody knows Anita Doherty. She made the name popular throughout the length and breath of the Bahamas.”

He noted that she was quite acquainted with Bahamian businessman Craig Flowers, who served as a pilot with her husband when they lived in Liberia. “When you talk about Doherty, there isn’t anyone who hasn’t heard of Anita Doherty, not only here in Grand Bahama, but in New Providence,” Smith said. “Anita Doherty was a household name. She has always been honoured for something. She was truly a national hero.”

Ricardo Lightbourn, a long time sportscaster in Grand Bahama, said the Bahamas has lost another sporting icon. “She has always been that person who has always been involved in community activities from day one, as a former athlete, coach and administrator,” Lightbourn said. “She was one of those persons whom you emulated, but she has also groomed and pushed so many young people to be the best they could be. She left a legacy that will be hard to forget.”

According to Lightbourn, Doherty is one who will be remembered as a national hero at the highest order because of the mammoth work she has done with so many young people.

On a personal note, she was never one that looked and wanted any attention or credit for what she did. Whenever you wanted to interview her, she rarely took the spotlight, but tried to push those who were with her or the student athletes whom she helped to groom and nurture. She will be sorely missed. May her soul rest in peace.