Joan Elizabeth Doherty

JOAN ELIZABETH (SAWYER) DOHERTY

February 20, 1935 to July 25, 2026

Joan Elizabeth Sawyer was born to Carl Wesley Sawyer and Gladys Whitlach Sawyer Miller on February 20, 1935 in Butte, Montana. Joan loved to tell stories of her Montana upbringing, frolicking with her siblings and cousins. Although Joan moved to Washington State in 1952, she was always a Montana girl at heart!

Joan married Frank Doherty on November 26, 1955 and they enjoyed 61 years of marriage before his passing in 2017. Joan is survived by her five children, Mike (Olivia), Steve (Cathy), Diane, Liz (Jerry), and Patrick (Melinda). The absolute loves of her life were her grandchildren, Michaela (Bill), Drew, Kyle, Megan (Dallas), Joe (Ally), Stevie, Jacob, Frank, Annabelle, Erin (Dan), Casey (Keith), Daniel (Yatzari), Jack, Blake, and Nicole. A new joy entered her life with the arrival of her great-grandchildren, Liam, Myles, Henry, and Amelia, with a new great-grandson on the way. Joan also leaves behind a plethora of nieces, nephews, and friends. In addition to her husband, Joan was predeceased by her parents and all of her siblings, Jim, Bill, Sharon and Doug.

After spending many years as a stay-at-home Mom (always the Carpool Queen, Room Mother, Girl Scout Leader, PTA Mom, etc.), Joan returned to the workforce. In 1976 Joan went to work for the Department of Labor and Industries, where she worked until her retirement in 1997. In addition to her professional career, Joan was an active member of St. Patrick’s Parish for sixty plus years, including years in senior ministry, amongst many other roles.

Joan did not slow down in her retirement, and even at 91, never knew the definition of the word “old”. Alongside spending countless hours with her devoted family, she was a world traveler, a voracious reader, a patron of the arts and theater and an avid fan of the Seattle Mariners. She made friends wherever she went, and she went a lot of places! Her weekly schedule included volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul and St. Patrick’s Parish, exercise classes, time with friends at the senior center, coffee dates, pinochle, and Bible study to name a few.

Joan was a woman of faith and lived her life with compassion, love and an endless well of gratitude, which was her favorite word. She never reached a point in her life where she stopped learning, loving, and having new experiences. She leaves behind a wonderful legacy and will serve as a lifelong inspiration to those who knew her.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, August 24, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1123 North J Street, Tacoma, WA. In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Vincent de Paul/St. Patrick’s Church chapter or the Tacoma Musical Playhouse in Joan’s memory.