Joseph James Doherty of Salem died peacefully at home after a long illness on Tuesday, Feb. 9 with his fiancée Joanne Moar by his side. He was 82.

He was born on Sept.. 18, 1933 in Stamford, Conn., to the late James and Catherine (McGurn) Doherty. He grew up in Lawrence, where he graduated from Central Catholic High School. Following high school he joined the U.S. Army, and he served in Honolulu, Hawaii. After leaving the Army, he attended Auburn University in Auburn, Ala. on the G.I. Bill and graduated with a degree in business. He married Sue Craver on July 8, 1961 in Mobile, Ala. They had three children.

Joe enjoyed a successful career that culminated in his position as vice president of marketing and communications for Owens Corning in Toledo, Ohio. It was there that he developed the popular Pink Panther campaign which became synonymous with Owens Corning. He won an Emmy Award in 1983 for his work on the popular WGBH series This Old House. He traveled extensively for work and enjoyed attending exciting world events, including the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, and numerous Super Bowls. Joe retired from the New York public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in 1995. During his career he lived in New Orleans, La., Andover, Toledo, Ohio, and New York city. He enjoyed his retirement on Martha’s Vineyard and in Salem.

Joe loved sailing and spent most of his summer retirement years on his boat Thalia. He shared his love of sailing with Joanne since they met in 2002.

Joe is survived by his son James Patrick Doherty, his daughter Susan Doherty Dampier and her husband LeRoy Dampier of Carbondale, Colo., and his beloved granddaughter Colette Dampier and her grandmother Sue Craver. He is also survived by his close and loyal friends Mike Morris, Victor Emmanuel, Jim Warden, John Halifax and Red Roberson, who did their best to keep in contact even when it became difficult for Joe to respond. Joe was predeceased by his son Michael, whom he has missed daily since Michael’s death in 1980.

A celebration of Joe’s life is being planned for summer 2016.