Michael McGaughey

Michael Williamson McGaughey passed away in Plattsburgh, NY on Thursday, February 29, 2024 at the age of 79. He was released from his long illness surrounded by his family.

Michael was born in Salisbury England on December 27, 1944. His mother, Vera (Lane) McGaughey (UK) and father Carl McGaughey (USA) met during WWII. Michael and his mother moved to the states when he was just five years old; old enough to remember the weeks-long boat trip across the Atlantic and arriving at Ellis Island.

He spent his formative years in Westchester County, NY and graduated from Rye Neck High School 1962. He then attended Union College where he met his wife Monica Jean Moore who was attending SUNY Albany at the time. They were married June 6th, 1964 and raised two children, Todd and Heather. In 1983 he moved to his true home, the Adirondacks.

Michael had a very storied career. He worked as a manager at a Macy's toy department in the 1960s and as the VP of Mego Corp in NYC in the 1970s. Through the 1980s and 90s he was owner of The Studio on Main Street in Lake Placid, NY. He also worked as the accounting manager at Tubecraft in Plattsburgh and finally retired as CFO of the ADK Mountain Club.

He served on the Lake Placid Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors from 1988

-1991. He was particularly proud with his work on the first walkway around Mirror Lake and creating the first centralized hotel reservation system in Lake Placid.

Mike was a true Renaissance man.

Over the course of his life, he tinkered with technology, photography, terraforming, sailing, scuba diving, architecture, carpentry and curling. In fact, his team, the Lake Placid Curling Club won a silver medal at the National Senior games in 2000. He was also a NPR supporter, Monty Python lover, TV connoisseur, chipmunk trainer and avid Giant's fan.

He was a loyal, logical, sharp-witted man and was considered a deeply sardonic philosopher by his close family and friends. The fact that he died on February 29th on a leap year certainly would have amused him. And he surely would have pointed out that we will only have to observe the anniversary of his death every 4 years.

Michael was predeceased by his mother, Vera Lane McGaughey and father Carl McGaughey.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Monica J. McGaughey, his two children, Todd McGaughey of Somers, NY and Heather Morgan of Upper Jay, NY, son-in-law Todd Morgan and his two grandchildren, Michael D. McGaughey and Anya M. Morgan, and his best friend Larry Lebow.

In lieu of flowers, consider donating to North Country Public Radio. www.northcountrypublicradio.org

Services will be private and at the convenience of the family.

Services were entrusted to Heidrick Funeral Home, 48 Court St., Plattsburgh, NY.