It is with great sadness that the family of James Francis (Jim) Doherty of Clifton announces his peaceful passing at Villa Marie Claire Hospice in New Jersey on March 14th, 2015.
Jim was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada on September 27th, 1940, son of the late James Francis Doherty and Anna Mary (Clancy) Doherty. Besides his parents Jim was predeceased by his younger brothers Peter and Paul.
Jim is survived by his wife, Marianne (Cinek) Doherty and sons James Francis III (Jodie) and Michael Erin Doherty; grandchildren Christopher, Laura, Jamie, Cadence and Clancy; brother William (Rita); sisters Mary Murphy (William), Martina Shannon (Donald), Patricia Loughery (Merrill), Anne Gilbride (Paul) and Evelyn Doherty; sister-in-law Roxanne Doherty; numerous nieces and nephews; grandnieces and grandnephews; mother-in-law Lillian Cinek and sister-in-law Christina MacGilvray (Scott).
Jim knew from an early age what his lifetime career would be. He first experienced horses through his father Frank's logging business and harness racing interests, leading to Jim's introduction to harness racing at Exhibition Park in Saint John. He acquired his first Standardbred while attending St. Malachy's High School. In 1959, he won his first race and quickly was on his way to a lifelong love of the sport. Jim worked continuously to improve his stable and was soon on the road to bigger racetracks, first in Montreal and then to New England. Jim was elected to the New England Harness Writers Hall of Fame and soon after to the Saint John Sports Hall of Fame and New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in Canada. Having excelled on the New England circuit, Jim answered the call to New Jersey's Meadowlands Racetrack in 1976. Jim's skills as an all-round horseman; owning, training and driving soon came to the forefront amongst the best the sport had to offer resulting in Jim being elected to the United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y.
Jim had many world class horses, four of the best being No Nonsense Woman, Starchip Enterprise, Fools Goal and Green with Envy. Jim won many major races in the U.S. and Canada, including the Canadian Trotting Classic, Maple Leaf Trotting Classic, Breeders Crown, Valley Victory, Delvin Miller Memorial, Goldsmith Maid, World Filly Trotting Derby, Roses are Red, three Provincial Cups and many more. In 1982 Jim won the $519, 000 New Jersey Classic driving Pitt Boy; the same year he competed in the World Driving Championships in Australia.
In 1972, Jim was the leading percentage driver in both the U.S. and Canada and in 2002 received the Glen Garnsey Memorial Trainer of the Year Award from the United States Harness Writers Association. Jim received the New Jersey Sports Writers Association "Harness Racing Man of the Year Award" in 2007.
Jim also known as "Gentleman Jim" for his honesty, integrity and consideration of others, liked to meet with family and friends to reminisce and share stories about horse racing and his favorite hockey team, the New York Rangers.
Jim was a member of the United States Trotting Association (USTA); The Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association (SBOA) of New Jersey; The Standardbred Owners Association (SOA) of New York; and Standardbred Canada.
Funeral Services will be on Friday, March 20th at 10:15 am from the Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, 1313 Van Houten Ave., Clifton with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am at St. Andrew the Apostle RC Church, 400 Mt. Prospect Ave., Clifton. Private cremation to follow with interment of ashes to follow at a later date. Visitation will be Wednesday & Thursday from 2-4 & 7-9 pm on both days. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
See more at: http://bizub.com/obituary/James-F.-Doherty/Clifton-NJ/1491069#obit-services