Isabel (Libby) Doran, formally of Port Washington and Sands Point, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2015 (Little Christmas) in Silverhill, Alabama at the age of 91.
Libby was married to Francis F. Doran (Frank) for 70 years. She was born in Gibraltar on April 15, 1923. She was the oldest of 7 children, raised in Gibraltar. At the beginning of World War II, just turning 17, she was evacuated from Gibraltar with her mother, brothers and sisters. They were relocated to Rabat, Morocco, where they endured uncomfortable living conditions.
When France capitulated to Germany, Libby and her family were put onto a cattle car to Casablanca, where they were prisoners of war. They were eventually traded for a boatload of French sailors. From there, they were put onto a freighter for a journey to Canada. However, because they were under attack by German torpedoes, they were redirected to Liverpool and then to London.
In London, the family was housed at the Ivanhoe Hotel near Kensington Gardens. They lived in only two rooms and were later joined by her father, her grandparents and assorted family members. At the time, London was being heavily bombed. She took a job with the American Red Cross. In addition, she volunteered to do “Fire Watching” on the roof of her building, an extremely dangerous position.
In April 1944, she met her future husband, Frank Doran, at an afternoon Tea Dance. Frank was a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Corps. He was deployed as a Cryptographer with Intelligence. Her family was once again relocated to Ballymena, in Northern Ireland. Frank and Libby were married there on September 27, 1944 in All Saint’s Cathedral.
Libby and Frank took a room in the West End of London, where Frank completed his service. He was honorably discharged, returned to the U.S, and immediately went to Georgetown to complete his senior year. Libby and Frank resided in the Georgetown area until he completed Georgetown Law School, and then returned to New York.
Libby and Frank lived in Port Washington from 1954 to 1983. During that time, Libby raised her four daughters. She was a tremendous support to her husband, who earnestly dedicated his professional life to public service. He served as the Town Attorney of the Town of North Hempstead. He served on the Board of the Nassau County Board of Assessors and retired after serving as Chief Counsel of the New York State Grievance Committee for the 10th Judicial District.
Libby was a homemaker and very active in her community. She was a member of the Guild of St Francis Hospital, The Guild of Saint Peter of Alcantara Church, the Sands Point Garden Club, a Girl Scout Leader and the Port Washington Yacht Club. She loved to travel on cruise ships.
With her fluency in Spanish, Libby served in the County Court System as a Professional Interpreter for criminal cases for the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.
In 1983, Libby and Frank retired to Miles Grant in Stuart, Florida. There, they enjoyed many years of companionship. She liked to be on the course playing golf and enjoyed playing bridge with her many friends. She loved to cruise with friends and neighbors, who joined them in retirement on the Gold Coast.
In 2001, Libby and Frank moved to the Fort Myers area to be close to their daughter Maureen and Libby’s brothers, Richard, John and Joseph Torres.
Only recently did Libby’s health fail, at which time they moved to Silverhill, Alabama, where they enjoyed living with their daughters Fran and Pam.
Libby is survived by her husband of 70 years, Francis F. Doran, her daughters Bonnie Doran of Port Washington, Maureen and her husband Stephen Carlough of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Fran Gruen and Pam Geary of Silverhill, Alabama. She had ten grandsons, one granddaughter and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers, John Torres of Hove, England and Joseph Torres of Fort Myers, Florida.
There will be a memorial mass at Saint Peter of Alcantara Church, Port Washington on Saturday, May 23 at 9:30 a.m. Interment of her ashes will immediately follow at Nassau Knolls Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Saint Peter of Alcantara Church in the memory of Libby Doran.
