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Lorensa Dougherty left this life on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010. She was 83. Lorensa was born in Enid, Okla., to Jesus Jose and Maria Mena, Mexican immigrants, on Sept. 5, 1926.
She spoke Spanish until she began public school. She learned her second language, English, at Harrison Elementary, where she often spoke kindly of her second grade teacher who took extra time every day to help her learn English. She also attended Emerson Jr. High and graduated from Enid High School in 1944.
At age 15, Lorensa began working at Enid General Hospital in the kitchen. She always knew she wanted to be a nurse and upon high school graduation was accepted into the nursing program at Enid General. She graduated from nursing school in 1947 as a registered nurse, and as repayment for her education, she worked in a government children's hospital in California.
In 1948, she returned to Enid General, now Integris Bass Baptist Health Center, as a registered nurse and worked there until her retirement in 1991. For many years she was the night supervisor of the ICU-CCU unit. She also worked at Pekrul Manor and several other Enid nursing homes. Nursing was her passion.
In 1950, she married Charles Dougherty, and they had four children. Lorensa was involved in any and all of her children's activities. She made sure her children had dancing lessons, music lessons, Boy Scouting, Girl Scouting, sports, twirling lessons and many, many trips to Carnegie Library, YWCA and YMCA. As a single parent, she even took her vacation to be the camp nurse when her children attended summer camps. All of her children were in band, and Lorensa was active in the Enid High School Band Parents for many years. Lorensa always was interested in politics and current events. Most recently, she had wished her health would have allowed her to go to Haiti as a nurse. She loved her country and the state of Oklahoma and never missed watching a Sooner football game.
Lorensa was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her sister, Tillie Campbell of Barstow, Calif., and her brothers, Wensor Mena and Bernard Mena, Enid, and Joe Mena of Manitou Springs, Colo. She will be sorely missed by her four children, Malinda Brown, Claremore, Chuck Dougherty, Weatherford, Tena Cassity, Milan, Italy, and David Dougherty of Phoenix, Ariz.
Others who loved and will miss Lorensa are her grandchildren, Steve Pazzo of Claremore, Natalie Pazzo Jones of Claremore, Tyler Dougherty of Ballwin, Mo., Casey Dougherty of Ballwin, Mo., Max Cassity of Fort Collins, Colo., Rachel Cassity, Boulder, Colo., and Jenna Dougherty of Phoenix, Ariz. Lorensa also is survived by her great-grandchildren, Hayden and Wyatt Jones and Sophie and Owen Pazzo, all of Claremore, and Charli Dougherty of Ballwin, Mo.
In lieu of flowers a contribution may be made to Integris Northwest Health Foundation, Bass Baptist Health Center, Nursing Scholarship Fund, 600 S. Monroe, Enid, OK 73701.
Published on February 6, 2010
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