Patricia Ann McCaskey

Patricia A. ""Pat"" McCaskey of Cocoa Beach, FL passed away at Cape Canaveral Hospital on Thursday March 18th. She was born on Dec. 22, 1935 in Cleveland Ohio as the daughter of William Walter Burko and Edythe Mae Masterfield, but was raised largely by her stepmother Eleanor Seitz. For 53 years, Pat has been the beloved wife of Coleman E. ""Mac"" McCaskey Jr. She was the mother of two sons, Coleman E. McCaskey III, of Cocoa Beach, and Coleman E. McCaskey IV of Merritt Island, FL. Other immediate survivors include their wives and five grandchildren. Pat met Mac while he was attending the University of Florida in Gainesville. She was instrumental in helping him earn his Batchelor of Mechanical Engineering (BME) degree, and while there, earned a PHT degree for herself. Pat loved children, birds, animals, bunnies, teddy bears, sewing, morning glories, and the comic strip characters Snoopy, Woodstock, and Charlie Brown. She also liked playing with her pet cockatiel, and driving classic old Lincoln Continental cars. While living in Largo, FL, she became active in school affairs, and became President of the Mildred Helms Parent Teachers Association. In Brevard County, she became active in real estate, attended licensing classes, and managed complex multiple properties. Patricia worked hard to maintain a stable family environment while her husband worked long hours at the Cape during the Gemini, Apollo Moon and Space Shuttle Programs at a time when frequent divorce was the norm. She also provided indispensable family support while her husband continued working for NASA for a total of approximately 45 years. Patricia was invited to attend the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, an honor richly deserved by her ongoing, unwavering support. In addition, she had a unique personality characteristic that amicably helped enrich the life of everyone she met, and she always offered a helping hand. Her passing will leave a void that will be difficult to fill. Beckman-Williamson Funeral Home, 101 N. Brevard Ave., Cocoa Beach, FL 32931 (Phone: 321-784-0116) is in charge of arrangements. Visiting hours are: 3:00-5:00pm Sat. March 27, and 2:00-4:00pm Sun. March 28. A memorial service will follow the Sunday visitation. Interment is planned to occur at the Sylvania Hills Mausoleum/Chapel located in the Allegheny Mountains at 369 Route 68, Rochester, PA 15074 (Phone: 724-728-2456). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to: Disabled American Veterans, Smithsonian Air/Space Museum, United Service Organization (USO), or Meals On Wheels.