Kathleen M Doddridge's Obituary
Kathleen Moore Doddridge died peacefully at her home in Lansdowne on Friday December 16th.
Kathy was born in Buffalo, New York on September 13, 1948, to Cecil and Marion Moore. She grew up in Buffalo, where she graduated from Bishop O’Hern High School and Canisius College, majoring in Political Science and History. After a high school trip to Washington DC, she knew that she wanted to work on Capitol Hill. So, shortly after graduation from college, she moved to Arlington, Virginia and found her passion as a Research Librarian for the Congressional Research Service (CRS) at the Library of Congress.
During her 35 years at the Library of Congress, she received numerous awards and honors for her work on projects including the Watergate Hearings, energy policy, the drug crisis, and many others. She retired after a career of interesting and fulfilling work in 2006. One of her colleagues described Kathy as the quiet one, but the smartest person on her team. “She kept her light under a barrel, but it shone brightly once she spoke.” Another said: (I was) “always in awe of her unbridled dedication and consummate work ethic. There was no one whom I admired more for her quiet yet effective way of answering the most difficult requests that we received.” After retirement from the CRS, she worked at the Alexandria Public Library as a Librarian for five years.
In 2010, Kathy and her husband Jim moved to Lansdowne Woods to be closer to their daughter and her four children. It was then that Kathy found her new passion: working with horses and special needs children at Morven Park, the original home of Loudoun Therapeutic Riding. For eight years, she found great joy in helping others find confidence and strength through the healing power of horses, as she volunteered as a side-walker to a horse and a special needs rider. Always the researcher, she took riding lessons during this time to help her understand the interactions and bond between horse and rider.
Kathy was also a dog lover. She loved them all, but her favorite was Flopsey, a beloved black Standard Poodle, who provided many years of enjoyment for her and the family. More recently, she enjoyed dog-sitting her grand-dog Cooper, a small white Havanese that loved sitting on her lap.
Kathy cherished time with her children and grandchildren, whether it be at family gatherings over dinner or at the beach – or on the sidelines of their wide-ranging sports activities: swim team, basketball, baseball, or lacrosse. She was one of their biggest fans, attending games as often as possible. She also adored attending their choral and band performances.
She will be most missed as a loving wife, mother, and friend. One friend noted: “She was the complete picture of a friend with a warmth that eclipsed the term.” Another said: “She never did anything in life that would cause others any sadness or pain. May she now rest in peace with the assurance that she brought life, peace, and happiness to all who were near and dear to her.”
She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Jim, and her children Sharon Doddridge Renehan of Purcellville Virginia and Christopher Moore Doddridge (Ashley) of Ft Myers Florida, her six grandchildren, and her brother Rod Moore of San Anselmo, California.
Viewing at Loudoun Funeral Chapel on Monday, January 2nd from 5:00-8:00 pm.
There will be a Funeral Mass held at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Ashburn at 10:30 am on Tuesday January 3rd.
Graveside Services will be held on a date to be determined at Culpeper National Cemetery, Culpeper Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding, Lovettsville VA 20180.
Share condolences with the family at: www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com
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