Lois Ann Mccaskill

Lois Ann McCaskill, born June 3, 1953, in Milledgeville, Georgia, lost her courageous battle against Mylodysplasia Syndrome on April 7, 2014. She was given the gift of an extra year of life by a selfless donor who provided the new bone marrow that she received last April 25, 2013. The extra year of life allowed her to spend more time with the light of her life, her great-niece, Zoe McCaskill who is three years old. In 1971, Ann graduated from Sparta High School, in Sparta, Georgia, her home town. From there she went on to earn a degree ineecreation Therapy from Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia in 1975. Her first job was Youth Director at the First Baptist Church in Dublin, Georgia. She was blessed to have the opportunity to grow spiritually herself as well as to touch the lives of many young people of the town. After four years in this position, Ann made a career change and obtained her certificate as a Respiratory Therapist, aneeventually became registered in that specialty. She spent the next thirty years serving the Veterans of our country by working for the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Carl Vinson V.A. Medical Center in Dublin, Georgia, for teneears and the final twenty years at the Durham V.A Medical Center in Durham, NC. She truly loved the contact she had with patients in both medical centers. She was dedicated to her job and made many friends at both locations. She also loved the Duke Women's Basketball team who she supported for many years with her presence at their games, even traveling to Boston for their Final Four appearance in 2006. She was preceded ineeath by her parents Rothwell Ames McCaskill and Lois Moate McCaskill, and by her niece Ashley Denee McCaskill. She is survived by her brother, Rothwell Ames McCaskill, her sister-in-law Ernestine McCaskill whom Ann frequently said was sent by God for her brother, her nephew Braneey Ames McCaskill and his wife Amanda, and their daughter, Zoe who brought such joy to Ann during their brief time together. Ann also is survived by an unee Reginald McCaskill, an aunt, JeaneeLoach, and several cousins. Ann is survived by her best friend, travel buddy, fellow Dookie, and all-round support system, Dawn Huffstetler, and her adopted Huffstetler family, Tina who was the rock of support for Dawn, Michelle, Karen, Jim, Treva who provided Ann with spiritual guidance through her battle with MDS, and three nieces, Heather, Alex, and Katie. Ann's special, sent-by-God neighbor, Bettie Polson, provided friendship and strength to Ann during their twenty years as neighbors, and spent many nights at the hospital as relief for Dawn during Ann's multiple hospitalizations. Ann's family and Dawn would like to thank all of the staff of the UNC Bone Marrow Transplant team, especially Amber Essenmacher, P.A., Dr. Thomas Shea, the nurses of the outpatient clinic, Paula, Sandra, Robin, Laura, Monica, Rhonda, Betty, Drew, and all of the inpatient staff. Their kineess and compassion made Ann's frequent trips to the clinic and hospitalizations feel like she was being cared for by family. We would also like to thank the UNC Hospice and all the friends who made this final trip with us, especially Becky, Marlene, Paul, Robin, Linda, Helen, Carol, and Shelly who provided food, transportation, aneemotional support. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the UNC Bone Marrow Clinic at the NC Cancer Hospital, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, UNC Hospice, or please register at "Be the Match" so that someoneelse might have the opportunity to have an extra year or more of life. Visitation will be at 4pm followed by a celebration of life at 5pm at The Chapel of Hall-Wynne Funeral Home, 1113 W. Main Street, Durham, North Carolina on Thursday, April 10th. Burial will be in Sparta, Georgia on Saturday, April 12, at 4pm. Online condolences at www.hallwynne.com. See Obituaries.