A lifelong educator returns home to where the lights first came on.
Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC) turns 88 this year, and few members have witnessed as much of its journey as Mary Doherty. At 95 years old, Mary is a lifelong educator, world traveler, and proud Hermiston native who holds a front-row seat to the evolution of rural electrification and the growth of our communities.
Born just a few years before Rural Electrification Administration (REA) brought power to the Hermiston area in 1937, Mary remembers a time when electricity was still a luxury. “We were using kerosene lamps for light, and it was very dim,” she shared. “We would huddle close just to be able to read in the dark.”
She recalls when UEC began constructing power lines in the neighborhood, but fuse boxes would be delivered at a later time. Her father, J.K., was eager to get electricity flowing for his family, so rather than wait for the fuses to be delivered, he placed a penny carefully in its place and their family home was energized immediately. While J.K. was excited to get power on for his family, using a penny in place of a fuse is extremely dangerous and UEC does not recommend turning your spare change into electrical hardware.
Even today, Mary takes note of the value electricity brings to the daily life. “Every month I compare my UEC bill to other bills and consider how much value I get out of each one”, said Mary. Everyday essentials like lighting, water pumps, and cooling systems all rely on electricity to function. From the comfort of our homes to the tools we use at work, nearly every aspect of modern life depends on reliable power.
That same sense of purpose guided Mary throughout her life. After growing up in Hermiston, she ventured off 47 years abroad, dedicating 42 of them to teaching internationally. Mary taught in Japan, Belgium, Venezuela, Spain, and spent the final 25 years of her career teaching in the Middle East. Along the way, she had explored more than 80 countries and influenced generations of students around the globe.
Despite her far-reaching adventures, Mary always knew she would retire in the place where her story began. She returned to Hermiston in 1998, settling back into her childhood home. In 2006, the original Doherty house was replaced with a new one built on the same property, though the barn still stands as a piece of family history. Today, her home is filled with keepsakes from her travels all over the world. Each one telling a story of a life lived, but the home itself holds one of the most important – it was here the lights first came on.
Although she has retired back at her roots, Mary and her students remain in touch whether that is through phone calls, letters or some of her students make a trip to visit and learn about rural Hermiston.
“Electric service changed our lives then and continues to do so”, shared Mary. “It continues to be the greatest value for money of all support services and UEC is commended for stellar reliability!”
As UEC celebrates its 88th birthday this month and continues Charging Forward through the growth and transformation of our communities, members like Mary remind us how far we’ve come since our early days. Mary’s story reflects the importance of lasting connections, the comfort of home, and the joy found in a good laugh – as we move toward the future. UEC is proud to power the lives and stories of our members – then, now, and for generations to come.