William Jake Caudill

William Jake Caudill, formerly of Waxhaw, passed away on Sunday, January 19 at Scotia Village in Laurinburg after a valiant struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.  A native of Wilkes County, he was the son of the late James Weaver and Ida Mathis Caudill.  He graduated from Ronda High School in 1949 and from Clemson University in 1955 with a degree in Agriculture Vocational Education.  He served for 38 years as a public school educator teaching Vocational Agriculture and Horticulture – first at Beaver Creek in Ashe County prior to moving to Union County in 1957 where he taught and was FFA Advisor at Mineral Springs, Parkwood, and Piedmont High Schools.  In 1977 he advised the North Carolina Champion FFA Dairy Judging Team which traveled to the 50th FFA National Convention in Kansas City.  He married Margaret Ward Kell of Waxhaw in 1960 and shared 59 years together with her, serving as her primary caregiver following her diagnosis with Alzheimer’s Disease.  He was active in numerous civic organizations in Union County including the Monroe Jaycees, the Union County Farm Bureau Advisory Board, as well as serving as an Elder of Tirzah Presbyterian Church.  He was known throughout his community for the size and produce of his vegetable garden and enjoyed raising Aberdeen-Angus cattle. Following his son’s interests he became a steward for bagpiping competitions in the Carolinas and was Senior Piping Steward at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games for a number of years.  He and his wife relocated to Laurinburg in 2009 to be closer to his son and his family. He is survived by his wife Margaret of Scotia Village in Laurinburg, his only loving son William Samuel (Bill) and wife Anne McLean Caudill of Laurinburg, as well as two grandsons of which he was extremely proud – John Alexander Caudill and Daniel MacQueen Caudill.  Also surviving are niece Kathy Simpson Lassiter of Pinehurst, as well as nephews Rocky Caudill of Elkin, NC, Rob Caudill of Surfside Beach, SC, and Russell Caudill of Nashville, TN.  He was predeceased by his only brother, James Blake Caudill.

The family will receive family and friends at Bumgarner Family Funeral Service and Crematorium, 305 East Church Street, Laurinburg on Wednesday evening, January 22 from 7-9 p.m.  Funeral services will be held at the Morris Morgan Room of Scotia Village Retirement Center, 2200 Elm Avenue, Laurinburg at 2 p.m. on Thursday, January 23 with Rev. Janet R. Tyson of Waxhaw officiating, and family visitation following.   In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be designated for:  The Scottish Heritage Center - St. Andrews University, 1700 Dogwood Mile, Laurinburg NC 28352;  The Scotland County Highland Games – P.O. Box 1102 Laurinburg, NC 28352; or Laurinburg Presbyterian Church – 600 West Church Street, Laurinburg, NC  28352. 

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