Cricket star’s dream USA trip turned to tragedy
THE family of a local cricketing legend have paid tribute to him following his death on a dream anniversary holiday in the USA.
Terry Doherty died three weeks after a tragic road accident in Key Largo in Florida.
The grandad-of-two had gone on the trip with wife Sue to celebrate their wedding anniversary and her forthcoming 60th birthday. He had gone out to buy pizza when the collision happened.
Terry lived in Rawtenstall and was a passionate Burnley fan. His daughter Stacey said that the couple had planned the trip of a lifetime.
She added: “Dad was very kind and loving, he was so loyal to us and my mum, but also daft and a really fun guy to be around. He always had a smile on his face and if you ever needed anything he would be there in a shot.”
TRIBUTES have been paid after the death of cricketing stalwart Terry Doherty following a tragic road accident while on the ‘holiday of a lifetime’ in Florida.
Terry, 76, was an umpire in the Lancashire League for more than 20 years and former Haslingden third eleven captain.
He died in hospital in Miami on Sunday, November 27 aged 76 three weeks after being in a collision with a car in Key Largo as he walked to pick up pizza.
The grandad-of-two, from Rawtenstall, had been enjoying a holiday in the States with his wife Sue, an IT worker, to celebrate their wedding anniversary and her forthcoming 60th birthday when the tragedy happened.
His daughter Stacey Cooper, who also lives in Rawtenstall, said the family have been left devastated following the loss of their ‘kind, laughing and loving’ dad.
Speaking to the Free Press from Miami having flown out, she said: “My dad had always wanted to go to Miami and to the Keys, it was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime and it’s so sad that this has happened.
“He was still playing table tennis and still at the gym every day, nobody wants to lose their daddy but it wasn’t his time to go.
“Dad was very kind and loving, he was so loyal to us and my mum, but also daft and a really fun guy to be around.
“He always had a smile on his face and if you ever needed anything he would be there in a shot, he was a true gentleman.
“It’s so hard to think that he’s gone.”
Born in Whitworth, Terry began his working life as an apprentice spring welder and worked to become an engineer at Madison Filter in Haslingden.
A passionate Burnley FC supporter, Terry was also a keen traveller who loved holidays abroad with his family.
As a cricket player he was a hard-hitting middle order batsman who also bowled useful medium pace.
Event manager Stacey, 32, added: “He’s always played cricket, ever since he was a boy.
“He loved it but he took it very seriously, he didn’t take any nonsense on the pitch. He also loved football and played for Haslingden St Mary, he always said he was a ‘midfield dynamo’.
“We are being brave and we are taking comfort in all the great memories we have of him.
“He knows how much we love him and we know how much he loved us too.”
As captain of the Haslingden third eleven he mentored future Lancashire League stars Graham Knowles and current Haslingden chairman Ian Cameron and gave them their first senior cricketing opportunity more than 30 years ago.
Ian said: “Terry was a very well liked and respected man and his premature death is a sad loss to Haslingden Cricket Club and the Lancashire League.”
Graham added: “It’s a terrible shame, and it’s an awful thing to happen but particularly for his family because of not being in the country. He was always good fun, there was never a dull moment with Terry.
“It takes a certain kind of person to be an umpire, to stand out for a 100 overs in all weather you have to really love and enjoy the game.”
Terry’s final senior fixture in the Lancashire League was at Rawtenstall on August 6 when Enfield were the visitors.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Miami on November 27 and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Terry leaves his wife Sue, daughter Stacey, son Jason and grandchildren Natalie and Jordan. His funeral is to be arranged when he is repatriated to the UK.