In February, the white flowers of a newly planted magnolia tree will stand tall, a permanent mark on Gainesville for a fallen UF student.
Below the flowers and branches, a plaque nestled in the ground, bordered with hearts, will read: “In loving memory, Abigail ‘Abby’ Dougherty, City Beautification Board.”
Dougherty, a UF applied physiology and kinesiology senior, died in a bicycle accident across from campus in late October, according to Alligator archives. She was six days away from her 21st birthday. Along with being involved on campus by volunteering with the Field and Fork Pantry and working as a RecSports yoga instructor, Dougherty volunteered for about a year as a member of the City Beautification Board, which works to improve Gainesville’s environment, said Earline Luhrman, the board liaison.
When board members found out about Dougherty’s death, they wanted to turn their heartbreak into action, and they began planning to honor her with the tree.
“It was a very sad, sad thing for all of us,” Luhrman said. “To see such beauty, and for it to be removed so quickly, was very sad. I’ll never forget her, because she was just so wonderful.”
The tree, donated by Florida Green Keepers, will be planted outside the Matheson History Museum’s Library & Archives in February, with a small ceremony to be held Feb. 16, said Anita Spring, another board member. The ceremony will coincide with the unveiling of the new archive section of the museum.
The board hasn’t contacted Dougherty’s family or friends yet but hopes to let them know about the plaque, Spring said.
Spring said unlike other UF students, Dougherty was consistently involved in the boards beautification work. She didn’t want to just pad her resume.
“She really liked it, she thought it was a good thing for the city,” Spring said. “She was very enthusiastic about being a member. That’s why we liked her so much.”
Luhrman said the tree will create a legacy for Dougherty. The magnolia will live on, a spot of beauty for those who knew her to visit for years to come.
“I think it’ll be here for hopefully hundreds of years,” Luhrman said.
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