Marge Docherty

Marge Docherty, 82, of the Lake Geneva area passed away on September 12, 2024, at Geneva Lake Manor.

Marge was born on May 3rd, 1942, to the late Fred and Regina Goetz in Strasburg, North Dakota, Lawrence Welk’s birthplace.  She once danced a polka with Mr. Welk. She also earned her Licensed Practical Nursing Degree (LPN) in North Dakota.

She moved to Appleton, WI in the mid 1960’s. She worked as an LPN at Winnebago State Hospital, where she met her husband, Dennis.  They were married on May 31, 1969, and moved to Rhinelander, WI, where she gave birth to their son Dennis in November 1970.

The family eventually moved to Lake Geneva in 1976.  She immediately started working at Geneva Lake Manor and other local nursing homes.

She left nursing for several years to open “Mama Marge’s” home daycare center and loved every minute spent with those sweet little ones in her care.

In the early 1990’s, Marge decided it was time to go back to school to pursue her Registered Nursing (RN) degree, which she received in 1993.  For a few years she worked as a Hospice Nurse as well as at various local nursing homes.  She was then hired by Brightstar to become a Private Home Care Nurse for one very special young man, John, for 10 years until age and driving forced her into retirement.

She was a big fan of Johnny Mathis and for several years Marge and Dennis would go to Branson, MO every November to see him perform.

Marge is survived by her husband of 55 years Dennis and their one son Dennis.  Four siblings survive Marge: Regina Wellman, Bill (Marilyn) Goetz, Joe (Cathy) Goetz and Fred (Diane) Goetz.  Marge was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Regina.  Her other sibling, Barbara, recently passed away on October 4, 2024.

Marge was loved and will be remembered and missed by all those whose life she touched.

Services for Margaret will be held on Saturday October 12th, 2024 at 1:00pm in the main chapel of Derrick Funeral Home.  A gathering of friends and family will take place from 11:00am till the time of service on Saturday October 12th.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy the family has asked to donate in Margarets name to either Judes Children's Research Hospital or Shriners Hospital for Children .

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Derrick Funeral Home of Lake Geneva is honored to be assisting Margret's Family.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thoma Place, Memphis TN 38105
Tel: 1-800-805-5856
Web: http://www.stjude.org/

Shriners Hospital for Children
2900 N. Rocky Point Drive, Tampa FL 33607
Tel: 1-855-401-4897
Web: http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/