Margaret Suckley

Margaret "Daisy" Suckley, a distant cousin who was also a friend and confidante to Franklin D. Roosevelt, was born in 1891 in Rhinebeck, New York. She gave Roosevelt his famous dog, Fala, and was with him in Warm Springs, Georgia, when he died. Daisy was also one of the first archivists at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum. She was responsible for managing the Library's large photograph collection, using her intimate knowledge of President Roosevelt's life to identify the people and places in the photos. Daisy lived in Rhinebeck, NY and died in her home on June 29, 1991, her 100th year. Daisy was with President Roosevelt in Warm Springs, GA when he died on April 12, 1945. She was on the train that bore FDR’s body to Washington, D. C. and attended the burial at Hyde Park, NY. She returned to the library, continuing her work, until 1963. . The people in Roosevelt’s life never suspected Daisy of being exceptionally close to him and it wasn’t until after Daisy’s death that their close friendship was revealed. Daisy’s time with Roosevelt was remarkable. Because of her relationship with him, she was present for some of the most interesting events of the time. She was there when the King and Queen of England came to the United States and picnicked with the Roosevelts and when Winston Churchill dined at Springwood. She met royalty, such as the Empress of Austria, the Queen of the Netherlands and the Prince and Princess of Norway. She knew about secret meetings, such as the one held between Roosevelt and Churchill, during which the Atlantic Charter was created. She also kept diaries throughout her life, recording details of meetings seemingly without any idea of their political significance. Instead, she discussed what the people were like, what kind of food they ate, and what Fala was up to. Her diaries offer a unique perspective on some of the most historically significant moments of the 20th century.