Sarah S. McCaskill
March 18, 1945 ~ August 5, 2024
Resided in:
Fairfax, Virginia
Sarah Staples McCaskill, 79, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on August 5, 2024 at her home in Fairfax, VA.
Born in 1945 to Lt. Cdr. William Hunt Staples, Sr., USN and Aelred Glynn Staples, Sarah was the second oldest of four children: Anne Glynn, Dennis Lee, and William Hunt, Jr. and grew up primarily in Portsmouth, VA surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She attended St. Paul’s Catholic High School (1963) and shared stories of nuns, school dances and classmates that remained life-long friends. She grew up in a small house in a tight-knit community that was filled with frequent visitors and an abundance of love. It was this style of upbringing that Sarah carried forward into her own family.
Sarah often spoke fondly of family trips to Richmond and Roanoke. Growing up in a family with a long history of military and government service sparked an early interest in history, current affairs, and politics. She proudly spoke of her grandfather, who served both as the Attorney General for Virginia and as a Justice of the Virginia State Supreme Court. Her grandmother, a suffragette, was one of the first women to attend the Democratic National Convention as a delegate from Virginia. Sarah was also proud of our family’s heritage as one of the First Families of Jamestown.
Following high school, Sarah attended Old Dominion University, first as a student then as a secretary in the history department. She had a particular interest in European history.
Sarah married Charles Richard Fridge in 1967 and had two daughters: Elaine Christine and Stephanie Michele. They lived in Arlington, VA for several years and created more life-long friends. In 1974, Sarah and her daughters returned home to Portsmouth after her husband Richard passed away. Wrapped by the love and support of family and friends, Sarah raised two young girls who have fond memories of snuggling in the bed asking Mom music trivia, family-filled beach trips, countless visits at their Grandparents’ house, singing Barry Manilow songs and having delicious dinners at Didio’s and Amory’s.
Surrounded by supportive family and friends, Sarah navigated single-motherhood while dedicating her time volunteering as President of the Portsmouth Mental Health Association.
Parents Hunt and Aelred set a high standard for love and togetherness. In 1972, they established an annual vacation for the entire extended family to Ocean Isle Beach, NC. It is here that we reconnected, relaxed, swam, built sandcastles, played games and built on the foundation of their example. This is a tradition that the family still honors to this day.
In 1980, Sarah married Cdr. Charles Edward “Ed” McCaskill, USN. Set up on a blind date by her mother and his former mother-in-law, the two discovered love again and joined their families with three more children for Sarah to love: Michael Stuart, James Stephen, and John Patrick.
In 1981, the family moved to Norfolk, VA and enjoyed all that Ghent had to offer. Our years were spent at Harborfests and art shows, the NARO and Felini’s Pizza, the Chrysler Museum of Art and Baker’s Crust, at spirit-filled churches and sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. In 1984, the brood grew even more when the family embraced David Byrd and added a sixth teenager into the mix.
For many years, Sarah volunteered at the Virginia Stage Company, at the kids’ schools, and in the church. After her children grew, she began working as the office manager at CANDII (Children’s AIDS Network Designed for Interfaith Involvement), which provides youth programs, services, and outreach for people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS. More than office management, Sarah was always available to help with transportation, children’s daycare, therapy group, and reviewing grants. Sarah found this work to be a vital and important calling during her ten years at CANDII.
In 2007, Sarah and Ed retired to Williamsburg, VA to be closer to grandchildren and family and settle into a quieter lifestyle. Sarah filled her days by watching the blue heron on the pond outside of her window, enjoying meals with friends, conversing with her “secret” Democrat society, swimming at the pool with her grandkids, attending USNA class of ‘60 events, and traveling the world.
After her husband Ed’s passing in 2016, in 2019 Sarah moved to Fairfax, VA to be closer to Stephanie, Elaine and family. She attended countless school performances, sporting events, celebrations and simple family gatherings. Though eventually back pain slowed her traveling down, she would help plan trips and enjoy picture slideshows of the next generation’s adventures. Always the proud mother and grandmother, Sarah spent what would be her final days celebrating college and high school graduations, cheering at volleyball games, enjoying Facebook posts of loved ones, watching the Paris Olympics and looking forward to visiting friends in Williamsburg.
Sarah will fondly be remembered as loving, accepting, compassionate, strong, supportive, and everyone’s biggest cheerleader. She was genuinely interested in keeping up with everyone’s lives and the people who were important to them. From friends of children and grandchildren to a neighbor in the hall, Sarah loved to engage in conversation. Her passion for history, travel, politics, culture, and art was endless. From watching every travel program to keeping every postcard, hotel map, or travel guide, she was fascinated by exploring other places. Curious and intellectual, she had an amazing ability to store facts, put them all together and analyze them to express her opinions or understanding of an issue. As an advocate for those in marginalized communities, Sarah not only made our lives better, she made the world better.
Sarah was preceded in death by her parents Lt. Cdr. William Hunt Staples, Sr., USN and Aelred Glynn Staples, husbands Charles Richard Fridge and Cdr. Charles Edward McCaskill, USN, sister Anne Brooks and Anne’s husband Larry Brooks, her son Michael McCaskill and grandson Daniel Byrd (David). She is survived by her loving children Elaine Turner (Jonathan), Stephanie Fridge, James McCaskill (Shelly), John McCaskill (Karen) and David Byrd (Chris), seven grandchildren Nellia and Kodie (Lexie) McCaskill (Michael), Caleb and Hannah (James), Sophia and Patrick (Elaine) and Nicole (David), and two great-grandchildren Weston and Briella (Kodie), Brothers Dennis Staples (Jill) and Hunt Staples and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews. She was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, September 27 at 11:30am at The National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham at 520 Richmond Rd, Williamsburg, VA. A luncheon at Sal’s by Victor will follow at 1242 Richmond Rd, Williamsburg, VA. An inurnment will be held at the United States Naval Academy on October 28, 2024 at 2:00pm. A luncheon will precede the service at 11:30am at a location to be determined.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Doctors without Borders, https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ or World Central Kitchen
https://wck.org/ or WETA. https://weta.org/
Services
Mass of Christian Burial : September 27, 2024 11:30 am
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
520 Richmond Rd
Williamsburg, VA 23185
757-229-3631
Add to My Calendar
America/New_York
2024-09-27 11:30:00
2024-09-27 11:30:00
SarahS.McCaskillMass of Christian Burial
Mass of Christian Burial
520 Richmond Rd,Williamsburg, VA 23185
Add to My Calendar
America/New_York
2024-10-28 14:00:00
2024-10-28 14:00:00
SarahS.McCaskillCemetery
Cemetery
121 Blake Rd,Annapolis , MD 21402
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
We were saddened to here about Sarah’s passing. Cherish all the fond memories of your lovely and kind mother Sarah. Our sincere condolences and know we are here for you all. Love the Radics Family