Reverend Dougherty
Alton | Save
Reverend George Orval Dougherty, 83, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 3:40 p.m. He was surrounded by his family and close friends in the I.C.U. at Alton Memorial Hospital as he gently and quietly left this earth. His family spent precious time with him in saying goodbye. His family & friends sang and worshipped around his bedside before he slipped away after suffering from declining health for the past several months.
He was born on June 27, 1927 in Harrisburg, Illinois, one of four children born to Orval and Hallie (Malone) Dougherty. He was raised in southern Illinois, with his three sisters. He suffered a tragedy at age 13 when his father was killed in a mining accident at Peabody Coal Company. He attended high school in Harrisburg, where he became a state champion runner in track. He loved the sport and continued to run throughout his life, even into his 70’s, often winning local and state awards.
He married Rosella Nell Ledbetter on December 26, 1944. She was the love of his life. He served in the army during World War II with an honorable discharge. In his early 20’s he answered the call of God on his life to be a minister of the Word. He pastored General Baptist churches in Raleigh and Stonefort in southern Illinois. In 1960 he was called to pastor the 1st General Baptist Church in East Alton, where he served for seven years. In 1967 he and his family moved to Kingston, Jamaica, to serve as missionaries for seven years. Upon returning to the States, he founded Alpha Chapel, which he pastored for 25 years until his retirement in 1997. During that time he established Alpha Christian Academy, offering kindergarten through grade 12 to the children of the church. He and his wife are members of Bethalto Church of God.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Evelyn Dallas.
He is survived by his two sisters, Jean Richard and Barbara Dougherty. He is also survived by his wife, Rosella (known to all as “Babe”), and three daughters and their spouses, Lee Ann and Gary Tedrick of Godfrey, Patty and Dennis Adams of Surprise, Arizona, and Nancy and Mark Leady of Alton; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Tedrick Schulz, Mindy Adams Schuette, Amber Adams Greenwell, Christal Adams Allemand, Kendra Adams Warren, Eric Fairfax, Jami Fairfax Anderson, and Mark Leady Jr. Great grandchildren who survive are Truman and Ellie Schulz, Isabella and Eli Schuette, Emma, Grace and Mia Greenwell, Noelle and Jada Allemand, Carson Warren, Zarion Felder, Baya Fairfax, Landon and Dylan Bollinger, Tobin and Aidyn Faulkner, and Palin Leady.
Visitation will be at Bethalto Church of God, located at 800 E. Bethalto Drive, Friday, February 25, from 4:00-8:00 p.m. The funeral celebration will be at Bethalto Church of God on Saturday, February 26, at 10:30 a.m.
Interment will be at Valhalla Memorial Park in Godfrey.
At his request, donations will be used to fund living memorials at churches where he has pastored, in his name.
Online memories may be shared at www.paynicfh.com
Paynic Home for Funerals
