Muriel Dougherty, former Saxton aide, dies at 98

Muriel M. Dougherty, who spent two decades as an aide to Jim Saxton while he served in the New Jersey Legislature and U.S. House of Representatives, died on December 3.  She was 98.

Dougherty worked as a secretary for the J.A. Roebling Company and the Fort Dix Army base before taking a job in Saxton’s real estate office.

After Saxton ousted Assemblyman John Sweeney (D-Florence) in 1975, Dougherty became an administrative assistant in Saxton’s Assembly office.  She moved to the upper house after Saxton won the 8th district State Senate seat in 1981; the incumbent, Barry Parker, had given up his seat to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Following the death of Rep. Edwin B. Forsythe (R-Moorestown) in 1984, Saxton ran for Congress.  After his victory in a special election that year, Dougherty became the office manager in Saxton’s congressional office.  She remained there until her own retirement in 1995.

Predeceased by her husband, James, and her son, Dennis, and granddaughter, Meghan, she is survived by four children, twelve grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.  Her son-in-law, Bruce Benedetti, served as district director to Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Manchester) in the 1980s, and her daughter, Pat Benedetti, was the Florence GOP municipal chair.