James W. Daugherty

James W. Daugherty, from Grand Marais, MN, passed away on March 2, 2024 after a short battle with cancer.

Jim was born in Mansfield, OH to Gladys and Chester Daugherty on August 8, 1936. He met Joan (a/k/a Jody) and they married on October 12, 1957.

Jim and Jody began their life together in Mansfield (Ontario), Ohio where they raised two children, Jeffrey Allen and Jill Ann. He worked for Tappan Stove Company until the early 1980’s when he and Jody decided to purchase Pike Lake Resort near Grand Marais, MN, a place they had visitedannually for many years. It was a perfect fit as Jim could fix anything and Jody managed the reservations side of the business. Jim and Jody ran the resort as a seasonal business for many years, and Jim eventually built a couple of cabins that were year-round rentals. He literally could do anything to which he put his mind.

Anyone who knows Jim also knows how much he loved fishing. He didn’t only fish, he caught.There could be three people in the boat and the fish weren’t biting—for two of them. Jim just knew how to catch fish! Jim was also a lover of animals and he and Jody always had a canine friend that they treated as a family member. Just a few who were lucky enough to call Pike Lake their home were Champ, Brandy, Patches, Maggie, Buck and Brooke. You can bet Jim met them at the Pearly Gates with a bag of treats.

Jim is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jody (née Keller); a son, Jeffrey (Pam) Daugherty from Elk River, MN; a daughter, Jill Pederson, from Grand Marais, MN; four grandchildren, Laura (Eric) Rellerfrom Rosemount, MN; Aaron (Kristie) Daugherty and one great grandson (Bo) from St. Michael, MN; Jennifer Pederson (S.O. Dan) from Brainerd, MN; Casey Pederson from Grand Marais, MN; his sister, Jean Beckdahl, who resides in Springfield, OH; a niece Lynn (Doug) Mitterholzer from Springboro, OH ; a nephew Mark (Cindy) Beckdahl from Springfield, OH as well as five great nieces and nephews and friends too numerous to mention.

A memorial service will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais, MN at 11 AM on Saturday, June 8, 2024.  Jim’s wishes are to be cremated with his ashes to be placed at Pike Lake, where he lived, worked and fished for the past 40+ years.