Terry McGaughey

Terry C. McGaughey, 70, of Brainerd, died at his home July 21, 2010. A special memorial ceremony will be held at 3:00pm on Sunday, August 1, 2010 at the Northland Arboretum, with a visiting hour beginning at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Terry McGaughey Memorial Fund (C/O Brenny Funeral Chapel, PO Box 623, Brainerd, MN 56401).

Terry will be missed by his daughters, Lia and Jill; sisters, Char (Kermit) Espeseth, Katie Hansen, and Patty (Tom) Frank; and many cousins, nieces & nephews.

A resident of the Brainerd Lakes area for more than 40 years, McGaughey was dedicated to natural resources throughout the state. He helped establish the Minnesota Designated Canoe and Boating Routes; helped form the Minnesota Canoe Association; co-founded an Audubon Chapter, was a member of the original governing board of the Deep Portage Conservation Reserve in Cass County, and advised on the development of the Cuyuna Range Mine Pit Lakes. His life's work, however, earned him the title "Father of the Paul Bunyan Trail," as he served as a volunteer coordinator, lobbyist, project manager and tireless promoter for this large-scale project for over twenty-five years. Now nearing completion at 110 miles, the Paul Bunyan is the longest bicycle trail in Minnesota and links with other northland trails to form a web of contiguous recreational trails enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors to the state each year. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel of Baxter.