Christopher Caison Obituary

Christopher Caison MT. PLEASANT - Christopher Hillery Caison, 85, died on May 9, 2024 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Chris was born on October 30, 1938 in Clinton, NC to Cicero Hillery and Annie Ruth Crumpler Caison. One of four siblings, he spent much of his childhood in his father's hardware store or shooting basketball. A passion for athletics was a continuous thread throughout his life. He excelled at Clinton High School sports and was recruited to play football at Duke University with plans to be a walk-on for the basketball team. Although a freshman year knee injury ended his collegiate athletic career, he continued to enjoy competition on the tennis court, golf course and at the ping pong table. He never tired of watching and discussing his favorite teams, Duke basketball and the Atlanta Braves. After earning a BA in History from Duke University, and a Master's in Teaching from UNC Chapel Hill (as a true blue Dukie, he always said that he never spent a night in Chapel Hill), Chris began his career teaching high school and coaching football and basketball in Roanoke and Courtland, VA and Clinton, NC. In his first season as Head Football Coach at Southampton High School in rural Courtland, his team went undefeated with 11 players going on to play college ball and one to the NFL. Eventually he left education to continue his career with Union Camp Corporation in Franklin, VA. He later excelled as the Human Resources manager at the new paper mill in Eastover, SC, and retired as the plant manager of the sheet paper division in Sumter, SC. In retirement, Chris consulted in business development for Thompson Industrial, was the marketing director for the Sumter County Penny for Progress campaign and served on the boards of the Sumter Chamber of Commerce, Tuomey Health Care Systems and the Sumter YMCA. Chris was a born leader. He was a life-long learner, an avid reader, a patron of the symphony, and an entertaining essayist. He was known to be punctual, a fierce competitor and a warm, fun and faithful husband, father, grandfather, coach, mentor and friend. During the past eight years Chris lived at the Franke at Seaside community, where he made many close friends through ping-pong matches, puzzles, pool workouts, bridge and poker games. Chris was predeceased by his loving wife and best friend, Mary Jane Caison, his brothers, Claude Caison and Kim Caison. He is survived by his beloved daughters, Cammie Camp (Billy) and Barrie Benson (Matt) and dearest grandchildren, Hugh Camp (Mackenzie), Henry Camp (McKenzie), Chris Camp (Efrat Abramson), Billy Benson, Kay Benson, sister, Betsy Best, sisters-in-law, Ann Jervey (Packy, deceased), Barrie Wallace (Andy), and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, Chris asked that donations be made to the Franke at Seaside Employee Fund, 1885 Rifle Range Rd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464. The family is extremely grateful to the caring Franke staff. A remembrance will be held at Franke with a memorial service planned in North Carolina at a later time.