Lydia McCaskill Parker

Lydia M. Parker, 78, died January 27, 2021. She was born January 7, 1943 to the late Audrey and Clinton McCaskill. Lydia grew up in Carthage, NC, surrounded by a loving and close family.

Survivors include her husband, William N. Parker, Sr. of Little River, SC; sister, Frances McCaskill Ward of Edenton, NC; her brothers, Robert Hugh McCaskill and wife, Avon, of Columbia, MD; James C. McCaskill and wife, Shirley, of Pinehurst, NC; John W. McCaskill and wife, Billie, of Greenville, SC; sister-in-law Helen McCaskill, of Unionville, NC; and a host of cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Lydia was a graduate of Carthage High School and St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, NC. She earned a Master's Degree in Education with a concentration in Business at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. She began her career in 1965 at the Research Triangle Institute in the Raleigh-Durham area of NC. After moving to Virginia in 1967, she entered the field of education and dedicated the remainder of her career to teaching Business and Information Technology and providing leadership to Career and Technical Education. Lydia worked for 9 years for the York County Schools in Yorktown, VA in positions as business teacher, COE Coordinator, and Department Chairman at York and Bruton High Schools. She worked for 12 years at the Virginia Department of Education in positions as State Supervisor of Business Education, State Supervisor of Planning and Evaluation, and as Division Director for Career and Technical Education. She worked for 10 years in the Central Office of the Henrico County Schools as an Educational Specialist for Career and Technical Education with responsibilities for Business and Information Technology and Marketing. While participating in an early retirement program with the Henrico County Schools from July 2000 - June 2007, she also worked part-time with Tech Prep programs at J. Sargeant Reynolds and John Tyler Community Colleges and with curriculum development projects and teacher training for the Virginia Department of Education. Lydia also created and/or maintained Web sites for Virginia FBLA-PBL, Inc. and the Virginia Business Education Association.

Lydia was involved in numerous professional organizations including the National Association for Career and Technical Education, the Virginia Association of Career and Technical Education, Virginia Association of Career and Technical Education Administrators, the National Business Education Association, the Southern Business Education Association Virginia Business Education Association, Virginia Association of Marketing Educators, Delta Pi Epsilon, and Delta Kappa Gamma. She served in several key leadership roles in support of these organizations and was selected as Outstanding Career and Technical Educator in 1997 for the state of Virginia and for Region II of the National Association for Career and Technical Education.

Lydia was an avid N.C. State fan and enjoyed playing golf, reading, listening to music, watching good movies, and spending time at the beach with family and friends.

A private graveside service with family will be held in Edenton, NC.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Lydia's memory may be made to the Virginia FBLA-PBL Foundation, Inc.; the Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church; or the North Myrtle Beach Humane Society.

Lee Funeral Home and Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach is serving the family.