Margaret Jean Daugherty, 91, passed away on November 30th, 2021, in Vero Beach, FL surrounded by her loving children. Margaret was born in Watertown, New York, the youngest child of two children. Margaret's parents, Jacob Augustine Long and Margaret Edith Franklin, settled in Sackets Harbor NY, a small town adjacent to Watertown in upstate New York. Her parents owned a local grocery store in the center of town called Long's Grocery which also doubled as the local soda fountain hangout for students and friends after school. Margaret was both a great student and a great athlete. As Sackets Harbor High School's Class Valedictorian of 1947, Margaret was also the captain of the high school women's basketball team, a cheerleader and softball player. But her true passion was the game of tennis.

Margaret had been under the care of the VNA Hospice of the Treasure Coast since early September. The family is grateful for the comfort that they provided her at the end of her life. Mom was born in upstate New York and lived in many different places after marrying our Dad who was in the military. Everywhere she lived she made friendships that will last forever. Margaret is perhaps best known from her connection to tennis. Margaret Daugherty, affectionately known as "MD", coached Mona Shores High School for almost two decades having a tremendous influence on these student-athletes in and out of competition. In appreciation of Mom’s impact as a coach, role model, and friend to so many, the tennis courts were named the Margaret Daugherty tennis courts in her honor. After retiring as a high school tennis coach she continued to coach children to play the game of tennis through her work with the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation. She taught tennis to elementary school children in their After School programs. She also assisted her son, Mike, in coaching the tennis program at Storm Grove Middle School.

Margaret is preceded in death by her parents Jacob and Margaret Long, her brother David Franklin Long, ex-husband Gail Ofrey Daugherty, two sons, Daniel John and Thomas Franklin, and is survived by her children Patrick, Michael, Megan, Kathleen, and Maureen, twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

There will be a memorial for Margaret in Muskegon, Michigan in the summer of 2022. Details of this memorial will be announced once finalized. Gone but never forgotten, we will cherish her memory forever.

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