Margaret L. Wade died in Cleveland, Mississippi, at age eighty-two, leaving a lasting legacy on women's basketball.
Margaret L. Wade died on February 16, 1995, in Cleveland, Mississippi, at the age of eighty-two, the town that had been home to Delta State University where she built her legendary coaching legacy.
By the time of her death, Wade's impact on women's basketball was already firmly cemented in the sport's history. She had been the first woman inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, had led Delta State to three consecutive AIAW national championships, and had lent her name to the prestigious Wade Trophy, awarded annually to the nation's top women's college basketball player.
Wade's passing was mourned throughout the basketball community, particularly in Mississippi and at Delta State University, where she remained a beloved and revered figure. Her journey from a young player whose collegiate career was abruptly cut short in 1932 to becoming one of the most honored figures in basketball history exemplified perseverance and dedication across more than six decades.
In the years following her death, Wade's legacy continued to be honored, culminating in the 2014 dedication of a bronze statue in her likeness outside Walter Sillers Coliseum at Delta State University. Her life and career remain a touchstone for the history of women's basketball in America, representing the transformation of the sport from a precarious, often-cancelled activity to a nationally celebrated and respected collegiate pursuit.