Joan Hatcher McCaskill

Joan Hatcher McCaskill, died at her home in Baton Rouge on December 13, 2024, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Joan was 85, and a longtime resident of Baton Rouge. A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 10, 2025, at St. James Episcopal Church with visitation at 10:30 a.m. in the church followed by services at 11:00 a.m., conducted by Rev. Chris Duncan.

Born September 8, 1939, Joan was the daughter of Mary Amelia Devall and William Bass Hatcher, Ph.D., who was the President of Louisiana State University from 1944 to 1947. Joan was married to James William McCaskill, Ph.D. who preceded her in death December of 1987. She is survived by her daughter, Karen McCaskill Garland, and her husband, Douglas Barth Garland, and her beloved grandchildren, Alexis Garland Lambert, and husband Cole Wesley Lambert, and William Hatcher Garland both of Baton Rouge.

Joan grew up on the LSU campus living in the President’s house and attended University Laboratory School graduating in 1957. During her time at University Laboratory School she developed lifelong friendships. Joan graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in French in 1966.

Joan was a lifelong member of St. James Episcopal Church. She and her husband coordinated the youth program and sang in the choir for many years. She spearheaded the Needlepoint Ministry and oversaw the needlepoint project that resulted in kneelers and other items for the altar at St. James. Joan was trained and brought to St. James the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, and she directed the program at St. James for many years. Additionally, Joan was a Eucharistic Lay Minister, head of the Wedding Guild, as well as participating in other leadership roles in the church.

Joan was active in community clubs and organizations such as the Junior League of Baton Rouge where she was a member of the committee in charge of editing and publishing the River Road Recipes II: A Second Helping cookbook. She was chair of the committee to design the Centroplex Auditorium, as well as a member of the Committee for the Formation of the Baton Rouge Arts and Humanities Council. Joan was President of Chi Omega Alumni Corporation and was active in the Chi Omega for many years. She was also active in the Baton Rouge Assembly, the Philistoria Book Club, and other organizations.

Joan taught French at the St. James Episcopal Day School for many years and was fondly recalled by her students as “Madame Joan”. She was a student of the Carl Jung philosophy and taught classes at The Red Shoes on many topics such as Sacred Geometry and mysticism. Her Dream Group and Book Groups were ongoing with many students and rooted in the works of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. She was a beloved teacher and a spiritual director. In addition to her love of learning, she loved her dogs, her daughter, her two grandchildren, friends, and traveling.

We would like to thank Dr. Chris McCanless and his staff, Baton Rouge Hospice, and her sitters under the direction of Lanell Vital for their service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Hospice of Baton Rouge, St. James Episcopal Church, The Red Shoes, or a charity of your choice in Joan’s memory.