Lynda Jane (McCaskill) Jones lived 99 wonderful years and entered the gates of heaven and into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on April 6, 2024. She was born on July 31, 1924, in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, to John Bullock McCaskill and Mildred Ree (Taylor) McCaskill. She was the proud big sister to Harry Lee “Buddy” McCaskill.
Jane grew up helping her parents run McCaskill Drug Store in Warren, Arkansas. She graduated from Warren High School in 1943. Following graduation, she attended Arkansas Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Little Rock, where she earned her nursing diploma in 1945. Jane served as a member of the United States Cadet Nursing Corps in World War II. After the war, she pursued further nursing education at the University of Texas in 1947. In 1959, Jane earned a Master of Education with an emphasis in nursing from the University of Minnesota. She became a nursing instructor and eventually the director of the Department of Nursing at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
In 1963, she married the love of her life, Ernest Melvin Jones. They spent 49 amazing years together enjoying family, cooking, and gardening. Jane was a Sunday school teacher and always had a love for learning. Ernest and Jane had no children of their own, but they had five nieces whom they spoiled, giving them all many wonderful memories.
In addition to her parents and husband, Jane was preceded in death by her brother, Buddy McCaskill and his wife, Mary Helen; nephew, Andy Brown; great-nephew, Russ Conrad, and many friends.
She is survived by nieces, Donna Smith of Wynne, Arkansas, Cheryl McCaskill of Warren, Arkansas, Beth (David) Conrad of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Patsy (Rick) Farmer of Lafayette, Louisiana, and Angie (Russell) Sylvester of Southaven, Mississippi; great-nieces, Sunne (Stephen) Moore of Wynne, Arkansas, Robin (Bart) Fowler of Wynne, Arkansas, Jill (Chris) Davis of Wynne, Arkansas, and Sarah Bess Brown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; great-nephews, Brandon Sylvester of Park, Kansas, and Nathan Sylvester of Southaven, Mississippi; and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews, Jorgia Moore, Oakley Fowler, Lilly Moore, Charlie Davis, Drew Fowler, Izzi Moore, Caroline Davis, Jazmin Moore, Darla Moore, Izzac Moore, and Boone Moore.
Jane was a member of Wynne Baptist Church. She led an incredible life filled with love, service, and dedication to Jesus, her family, and her profession. Her legacy lives on through the lives she touched and the memories she created.
The family would like to thank the staff and residents of Gatekeeper Retirement Home in Wynne, Arkansas, where Jane gratefully spent her last year and the CrossRidge Community Hospital staff who cared for her so well in her final weeks.
There is no greater peace for her beloved family than the certainty that she now rests exactly where her heart has longed to be, sitting at the feet of Jesus.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Wynne Baptist Church with Bro. Todd Maino and Bro. Matt Dunavant officiating. Friends may visit at the church from 12:00 p.m. to service time. Interment will be conducted privately at Prien Memorial Park Cemetery in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Memorials may be made to Gate Keeper Retirement Home, 1515 Lemons St. N., Wynne, AR 72396.
Arrangements by Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home of Wynne.
