John McCaa Jr.

Anniston native John McCaa, Jr. died on January 14 at his home in Atlanta. He was 83 years old. A descendent of the Noble family, founders of Anniston, he was born to John and Miriam Cook McCaa on January 14, 1936 in Anniston. He attended Anniston City Schools and earned a BA from The University of the South at Sewanee and Bachelor of Foreign Trade from the American Graduate School of International Management. John was a proud veteran, having served from 1958-1963 as a US Navy Intelligence Officer with the Red Rippers Fighter Squadron and at the Pentagon. Due to the sensitive nature of his work, friends who connected with him in Washington, including retired Anniston Star Publisher Brandt Ayers, John's childhood friend, were subjected to FBI investigation! Upon leaving the Navy, he returned to his hometown where he worked for two years as a reporter for The Anniston Star. These were exciting but dangerous years during the civil rights movement and John was in the forefront of reporting. He then took a position with Phelps Dodge International and moved with his wife to New York where their daughter Mimi was born. Shortly he was posted to Zambia as Vice President of the copper division of Phelps Dodge. His son John was born there. The family moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1972, where John managed the turnaround of Phelps Dodge's largest offshore manufacturing group. In 1974 he returned to New York as Marketing Vice President of Phelps Dodge. When he left Phelps Dodge in 1975 John moved to Atlanta where he began to apply his experience in international business to consulting and forming an Electronic Scale company that made the world's first in-bed electronic patient weigh system. He continued an active consulting business until his retirement. A lifelong Episcopalian, John was a deeply spiritual person who studied the Word of God with a scholarly devotion throughout his life. Heirs to his legacy are his surviving children Miriam McCaa Tighe (Devin), John McCaa III (Ashley), and Christopher Alfaro Noble McCaa; and his grandchildren Ava Caroline Tighe, Brynn Louisa Tighe, Julie Virginia McCaa and John William McCaa. Also surviving are his sister Mary McCaa Massey Torkington of Florence, and brother Samuel Noble McCaa of Birmingham and several nieces and nephews. John was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Margaret McCaa Stough. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.