Sylvia Lee McCulloch Caskey was born September 9, 1942 to Sidney Britt McCulloch and Margaret Lee Tucker McCulloch in Dallas, Texas. She was an only child but grew up surrounded by lots of cousins and family on weekends and holidays and had a wonderful childhood spending summers with them at their Aunt Vi and Uncle Johnny’s family farm in Emory, Texas. She graduated W. W. Samuell High School in 1960 and then attended Tyler Jr. College in Tyler, Texas where she was an Apache Belle. At TJC she met Clifford Leon Caskey and they married Jan 20,1962 at Ferguson Road Church of Christ, Dallas, TX. They went on to Stephen F. Austin where she obtained a bachelor’s Degree in English and Spanish and a teaching certificate. She taught school for many years and in many school districts as they moved with Cliff’s job including to Crocket, Sierra Blanca, Rockwall, and White Oak, Texas.
When the family moved to San Marcos in 1977, she opted out of teaching and went into insurance with Stokes, Yarbrough & Searcy Agency, but continued in education by serving nine years as a trustee on the SMCISD School Board. She served as President of the board the year Carla graduated in 1987 and signed the graduating class’ diplomas. She taught children in Bible class at University Church of Christ for many years and was instrumental in helping many children bring home awards from the annual Bible Search program.
Sylvia worked in insurance for about 10 years until Britt got sick and then she retired to stay home and take care of him. After Britt passed in 1990, she worked full time in the orchard and, helped Cliff run the family farm, Caskey Orchards, picking peaches and selling them at the San Marcos Farmers Market for many years as manager until she “retired” to be a full time Gam’ma to grandson Scott. While being a full-time “Gam’ma” she also became an “almost full time” bookkeeper for Carla’s business, ColorMix Graphics & Printing for eight years, always supporting and helping her family however she could. She was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother and has many life-long friends who will dearly miss her and her big, beautiful smile.
Sylvia was a smart, beautiful, and Godly woman with much wisdom and was also a shrewd businesswoman. She was the most able-bodied and independent disabled person there ever was. After she lost her right arm to cancer in March of 2013 she would rarely ask for help, and if you offered to help her, her standard response was, “No thank you, but I have to learn to do it myself!” She even taught herself to sew again and quilt one handed, working a year ahead to make quilts for all 5 of us for Christmas 2018.
Sylvia left her earthly home - for her heavenly home - on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020.
She is survived by her husband Cliff Caskey of 58 years, her daughter and son-in-law Carla Caskey Sisk and Steve Sisk, and grandson Scott Caskey Sisk. She was proceeded in death by her parents and son, Charles Britt Caskey.
The family will receive family and friends for a visitation at Thomason Funeral Home on November 10th from 5-7 p.m., and a memorial service will be November 11th at 11 a.m. at the University Church of Christ, 115 Country Estates Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666.
It is requested that memorial contributions be made to the McCarty Student Center via the website www.McCartyStudentCenter.com – click on donate.
