Sharon Marie McDougal

Sharon Marie McDougal May 24, 1954 - March 28, 2017 Sharon Rogers Bertholf McDougal 1954 - 2017 Sharon McDougal passed away quietly on Tuesday, March 28. The eldest of 8 children, Sharon was born in Philadelphia, PA, to Thomas W. Rogers (deceased) and Jean Rooney Rogers Doherty. She attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls, a competitive magnet high school. The summer before her senior year, her mother moved the family to Northern Virginia, a move Sharon fiercely protested. She graduated from Fairfax High School and immediately relocated back to Philadelphia. Sharon married William Bertholf (deceased) and later relocated back to Northern Virginia. Shortly after returning to Northern Virginia, Sharon met the “best thing that ever happened to her”, Michael McDougal. Both Sharon and her husband worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, DC. To advance her career, Sharon left headquarters and worked for 2 years at the Federal Correctional Institution, Texarkana. She returned to DC to finish her career and retired in 2004. Sharon retired before her husband and while waiting for his retirement, she was became a realtor, took up several creative hobbies including painting and making jewelry and volunteered at Habitat for Humanity. When Mike retired in 2009, they moved to St. Augustine, Florida where they built their dream house. A favorite pastime was riding their Harley together; they logged more than 70,000 miles. From the moment she was diagnosed, Sharon was adamant that she be remembered as who she was, a healthy and active woman. Sharon was a regular at her gym, she pursued a personal trainer certification, she walked and cycled and took Pilates classes. One of her lifelong pursuits was sailing. She started sailing as a child under her father’s tutelage, crewed for her brother on a months long trip in the Northwest Passage, and later captained own her own sailboat with her husband. Sharon’s is survived by her husband, Mike, son, William Bertholf, Jr. (Ella) of Toano, VA, her granddaughter, Caitlin Bertholf, her mother, Jean Doherty of Fairfax, VA, her siblings Thomas (Laura Bienen) of Vashon, WA, Lisa Simpson of New Orleans, LA, Eve Framiñán (Javier) of Arlington, VA, Amy Wakeman (Randy) of Harrisonburg, VA, Jan Rogers (James Hoofnagle) of Falls Church, VA, Peter of Vienna, VA, Nancy Lyons (Michael) of Vienna, VA, and 12 nieces and nephews. The family is planning a private celebration of Sharon’s life. Mike wants to express his appreciation to the hospice caregivers who made such a difference in Sharon’s final weeks. In lieu of flowers, donations in Sharon’s memory can be made to Community Hospice Foundation