Mary Anne Doheny (nee Ruth), age 76 and long-time resident of Lansdale, Pa and Thousand Island Park, NY, died Tuesday, January 16th. She was born Anna Mae in Tewksbury, Massachusetts on June 21, 1941. She lived in several foster homes in Boston until Pearl S. Buck heard of her story and brought her to Welcome House in Doylestown, PA. Helen and Henry Ruth, of Lansdale, PA, adopted Mary Anne when she was 11 years old. Mary Anne went on to become a registered nurse (BSN) and while working as a head nurse at Abington Hospital she met the love of her life, Francis R. Doheny. They married and raised three children in Lansdale, PA. Mary Anne was one of the oldest living heart transplant recipients in the U.S., surviving 29 years with her original donor heart from 1989. She was a fun loving, no-nonsense kind of a mom. Mary Anne was often described as one of a kind with unprecedented willpower. She loved all animals and always rooted for the underdog. Mary Anne was an excellent craftswoman who could make anything and fix everything. She had a store for many years in the Wellesley Hotel located within TI Park, NY where she made various arts and crafts including baby clothes and unique jewelry. She died with her family that she deeply loved by her side. She is survived by her husband, Francis R. “Corky” Doheny; her son Michael (Cathy Tallaksen); daughter Heather (Andy Jefferson); grandson Teddy Jefferson; granddaughter McKinley Jefferson; and daughter Heidi. Services will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mary Anne’s honor to Pearl S. Buck International https://www.psbi.org/memorialgift or Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Kanab, UT. https://www.bestfriends.org | 
