Dan Daugherty, 64, of Massena

Mass of Christian Burial: Will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Patrick Catholic Church in Massena with burial in the St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery. A luncheon will be at the church following the burial. The Lamb Funeral Home in Massena is in charge of the professional arrangements. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.

Open Visitation: Will be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Massena.  

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Massena. 

Memorials: Memorials may be directed to the Dan Daugherty Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date. 

Danny Dale Daugherty was born March 27, 1960 in Atlantic, Iowa to Thomas and Lorna (Burmeister) Daugherty. He passed away on December 11, 2024, at his home in Massena, Iowa, surrounded by his family.

Dan grew up in Cumberland, Iowa, the fifth of six children born to Tom and Lorna Daugherty. As their rainbow baby, Dan felt very cherished, especially by his mother, making her death in 1976 truly devastating. He was forever grateful for the love and guidance of his aunt and uncle, Wilbur and Margaret Brixius, for helping him become the man he was meant to be. 

Growing up in Cumberland in the 1960’s meant you learned to play baseball. Dan spent years carrying the bats for his older siblings, cousins, and friends, learning from them until he was big enough to play. These early influences formed his love of the game, which he would carry with him for the rest of his life. He loved sharing his passion with his children, grandchildren, and the hundreds of players he coached throughout the years. 

Dan graduated from Cumberland-Massena High School in 1978 and went on to play baseball for the University of South Dakota, where he will forever hold the record for most career wins. After graduation, Dan spent one year teaching and coaching at C&M before settling in at Bridgewater-Fontanelle, later becoming Nodaway Valley. He would spend the next 32 years teaching PE and coaching many different sports including: football, basketball, track, and baseball. As his children got older, Dan gave up the paid coaching positions to spend time coaching his daughters in Little League. In 2004, when Marcus was 5, Dan helped develop the Little Red Sox. He would continue with that group of boys all the way through graduation, guiding them to win the American Legion Little League Tournament in 2010 and also making CAM’s first ever state baseball tournament appearance in 2017. A feat he would repeat in 2022. Dan retired from NV in 2018, but continued to coach baseball for the CAM Cougars until 2022.

Dan was married to Tracy Marie Hensley on August 8, 1987, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Massena, Iowa. They would make Massena their home for the next 37 years, welcoming four children, Lorna Marie in 1990, Mallory Clarke in 1993, Erin Charlotte in 1996 and Marcus William in 1999. Becoming a father was the biggest joy of Dan’s life, matched only by the unconditional love he felt when he became a grandparent. Dan was a very involved and loving father, always making his family a priority. He was constantly amazed with each child and grandchild, just how much love a heart could hold. Dan considered being a good husband, father, and Papa, his greatest accomplishment. He was tremendously proud of his family. He will be missed deeply.

Dan was welcomed into Heaven by his parents, mother and father-in-law Bill and Charlotte Hensley. Brothers Terry Daugherty and Greg Daugherty, brother-in-law Al Wernimont and nephew Weston Wernimont.

He is survived by his wife, Tracy, his children, Lorna (Kyle) Kohn of Cherokee, Mallory (Jaxson) Armstrong of Massena, Erin (Blake) Nettleton of Sioux City, and Marcus Daugherty of Des Moines, grandchildren Kayleigh Lorna, Kathleen Margaret, and Kayson Lorne Kohn, Georgia Marie and William Jaxson Armstrong, and Madden Danny Nettleton. He is also survived by his sister Vicky (Mike Murphy) Pederson of Bridgewater, brothers Randy (Connie) Daugherty of Cumberland, Scott Daugherty of Fontanelle, sister-in-law Diana Daugherty of Massena, brothers and sisters-in-law Kerry (Patti) Hensley of Massena, Kris Wernimont of Atlantic, Deb (Ron) Sova of Omaha, Tony Hensley of Massena and Andy (Jana) Hensley of Carson, many nieces, nephews and a host of friends.