Francis F. Doran, a former town attorney for the Town of North Hempstead, whose professional career was given to public service, died unexpectedly on Saturday, May 23 at the age of 92 at St. Francis Hospital, Roslyn. He and his late wife, Libby, were residents of Port Washington from 1952 to 1983.
Doran had been living with his daughters, Pam Geary and Fran Gruen in Silverhill, AL. His wife of 70 years, Libby, died in Silverhill on January 6, 2015. Frank had come to Port Washington for Libby’s memorial service at St. Peter of Alcantara Church on May 23, but experienced a fall requiring surgery and succumbed to heart failure on the day of his wife’s memorial.
Frank Doran was born on December 29, 1922, in Manhattan, the third son of J. Ethel Finotti and Dr. William T. Doran. His mother was a nurse. His father was a brilliant surgeon, credited for the beginnings of gall-bladder surgery. His father, the New York City Police surgeon, was awarded numerous citations and awards for his public service, was named a Knight of Malta and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre by the Pope for his ministrations to the poor as well as to the Catholic Church. He attended the clergy and the Sisters, without fee, in New York City as well as at St. Francis Hospital.
Frank attended local schools in Jackson Heights, NY, then graduated from Canterbury Prep School, before studying at Georgetown University. World War II called and Frank Doran enlisted in the Army Air Corp to join the US war effort. He studied Cryptology at Trinity-Pawling School before being deployed to the European Theatre of Operations in Greenland to decipher American and German code. He was a Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and served as a cryptographer with Army/Air Force Intelligence.
London in 1944 was a favorite target for the Nazi Luftwaffe and blackouts were the norm. One of the only opportunities for a G.I. to meet a lady and enjoy each other’s company was the afternoon tea dances for the troops. At one of them, Frank spotted Libby Torres dancing with another G.I. He was immediately taken with this pretty expatriate from Gibraltar and cut in. Libby was living in London and working for the American Red Cross. On September 22, 1944, at All Saints Cathedral in Ballymena, Ireland, where Libby’s family had relocated, Libby became Mrs. Francis F. Doran. Their love remained true for over seventy years.
After Doran’s honorable discharge, the newlyweds returned to the United States. Frank headed back to Georgetown University Law School where he completed his law degree. Eventually the Dorans settled in Port Washington, raised a family and became enmeshed in civic affairs.
Doran was bent on a public service career. He was chairman of the American Cancer Society’s Port Washington area 1960 Cancer Crusade. He was a member of the Port Washington Yacht Club’s Board of Governors, the Knights of Columbus, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Monfort Hills Association. Frank was an active parishioner at St. Peter of Alcantara Church and Our Lady of Fatima Church. He was a Eucharistic Minister as well as a Lector and Usher.
For over 10 years, Doran served the Town of North Hempstead. In 1965, he was appointed deputy town attorney under Supervisor Sol Wachtler. In 1970, he was promoted to town attorney and continued his tenure from 1972 through 1975.
Doran made his mark in the law books when the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the landmark case of Doran v. Salem Inn. The court decided that Doran decisively proved his position and received a unanimous decision, upholding the Town of North Hempstead Law.
Doran, with his legal expertise, briefly sat on the Nassau County Board of Assessors. Soon after, he was named chief counsel to the Joint Bar Association Committee for the Tenth Judicial District, NY. Known for his honesty and integrity, Doran was ultimately responsible for the conduct and discipline of hundreds of attorneys in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
In 1983, Libby and Frank retired to Miles Grant in Stuart, FL, where they enjoyed many years of companionship. He enjoyed golf, sailing, dancing, singing with his family and friends and traveling.
In 2001, they moved to the Fort Myers area to be closer to their daughter, Maureen and Libby’s brothers Richard, John and Joseph Torres. When Libby’s health began to fail, they moved to Silverhill, AL, where they lived with their daughters Pam and Fran.
Frank was preceded in death by his wife Libby, his parents, Dr. William T. and J. Ethel Doran, his two brothers, William Thomas Jr. and A. Benedict Doran. He is survived by four daughters: Bonnie Doran of Port Washington, Maureen Carlough and her husband Stephen Carlough of Winston-Salem, NC, Fran Gruen and Pam Geary, both of Silverhill, AL, 10 grandsons, a granddaughter and nine great-grandchildren.
There will be a Memorial Mass at Saint Peter of Alcantara Church in Port Washington on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. Interment of his ashes will immediately follow at Nassau Knolls Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted by Saint Francis Hospital, 100 Port Washington Blvd, Roslyn, NY 11576, in his memory.
