I am Jimmy Davin’s cousin Pat.

My mother, Josephine and Jim’s mother, Margaret Mary were sisters.

Growing up, we lived in the Philadelphia area while Jimmy’s family lived in the Pittsburgh area. My grandparents had a summer home on a lake in South Jersey. All the families would stay at the house for a week every summer.

It was three families plus our grandparents. It was great. It went on for many years of our young lives.

Somehow we all fit into that little house and we all had a wonderful week together.

At that time there was a total of 3 grandparents, 6 parents and 9 kids. Of the 9 kids I was the only girl. We all swam in the lake, played with the rowboat, dug in the sand and had all our meals together in the house. We made some of the best family memories that I still cherish to this day. It was pure fun for all of us.

I loved seeing my cousin Jimmy. We only got to see that side of the family a few times a year at the big holidays and the week in the summer. Jimmy was a great guy. He was such a nice boy. Very kind and caring and a really nice person. He was one of the favorites of all of ours.

I know we all have great memories of the time we spent together. My husband and I bought this house and have raised our kids here. Now 5 generations of the Dougherty family have lived or slept in this home.