William Doherty Jr.

William Thomas Doherty Jr., 90, of Silver Spring, Md., died Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, at his home, of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and cardiac disease.

He is the son of professor William T. Doherty and Kittie Baird Doherty of Cape Girardeau. He was professor emeritus and university historian at West Virginia University in Morgantown.

Doherty graduated summa cum laude from Southeast Missouri State University with bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in education in 1943. He was honored as a distinguished alumnus of the college in 1977. He received a master of arts degree from the School of Social Sciences and Public Affairs at The American University, Washington, D.C., in 1950, and a doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1951.

He served in World War II from 1943 to 1946, with overseas service in the Pacific Theater (New Guinea, the Philippines and Japan). He was awarded the Bronze Star in recognition of his services to the Eighth Army Headquarters, United States Army.

Doherty's teaching career spanned 42 years, 25 of which were spent at West Virginia University. He taught at Southeast Missouri State University; Westminster College at Fulton, Mo.; Columbia College in Columbia, Mo.; the University of Missouri-Columbia; the University of Mississippi in Oxford; the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville; and Kansas State University in Manhattan.

At the University of Mississippi, he served as professor and chairman of the Department of History. At Kansas State University, he was professor of history and director of the Ford Foundation's Experimental Master of Arts Program.

At West Virginia University, he served as professor of history and chairman of the Department of History from 1963 to 1980. He then served as professor of history and university historian from 1980 to 1988. At the time of West Virginia University's centennial celebration, Doherty was named one of the institution's 10 outstanding faculty members. In 1988, in retirement, Doherty became professor emeritus of history and university historian.

In addition to his teaching, administrative services and research, Doherty served from 1979 to 1983 as editor-in-chief of West Virginia History, the quarterly publication of the West Virginia Department of Culture and History in Charleston.

On West Virginia history, he authored "Berkeley County, U.S.A.: A Bicentennial History of a Virginia and West Virginia County, 1772-1972" and co-authored with Phil Conley "West Virginia History," a widely used textbook in the state. With Festus P. Summers as co-author and in his capacity as university historian, he wrote "West Virginia University: Symbol of Unity in a Sectionalized State."

Other works by Doherty are "Louis Houck: Missouri Historian and Entrepreneur" and "Minerals, Volume IV of the Documentary Series, Conservation in the United States." He is author of "West Virginia Studies: Our Heritage and West Virginia -- Our Land, Our People." He contributed more than 200 monographs, studies, manuals, articles and book reviews to professional publications and newspapers.

Doherty is survived by five children, Victor S. Doherty of Mathis, Texas, D. Ashley Doherty of Washington, D.C., Catherine D. DeKrey of Burnsville, Minn., Julia H. Doherty of Reston, Va., and William T. Doherty III of Annapolis, Md.; and two grandchildren.

He is the brother of the late Mary Elizabeth Magill of Cape Girardeau.

Doherty and his wife, Dorothy Huff, who died Feb. 20, 2002, were married 55 years.

A service will be held later.

Francis J. Collins Funeral Home in Silver Spring was in charge of arrangements.