Aileen McCauley

Aileen Tatum McCauley, 96, died peacefully on January 3, 2021, in the home that she and her husband, Ed McCauley built sixty years ago in Burlington. She was born in Walnut Cove, NC and graduated from Trinity High School in Archdale, NC, before moving to Burlington with her parents, William M. Tatum and Mary Anna Tatum. Working at Sellars Department Store, she met her husband after he returned in 1945 from his posting as an aerial photographer for the Navy and married in 1946.

A consummate seamstress, cook, decorator, and bridge player, Aileen joined her husband after he left his position as chief photographer for the Burlington Times News in 1974 to found Ed McCauley Art Supply. Not only mastering mat cutting for frames, she welcomed clients and became friends with many local artists and design students from Alamance Community College, who patronized the store until the McCauley’s retirement in 1992. She was active with Alamance Arts and other local arts organizations. After her retirement, she volunteered at Cone Health Alamance Regional Medical Center, the Hospice Home (now AuthoraCare Collective-Burlington Campus) and Meals on Wheels.

Aileen was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Burlington, where she served on the Presbyterian Women Visiting Committee, the Bereavement Team, the Presbyterian Women’s Circle, and in various adult education events. She was also a member of the Alamance Country Club.

She is survived by two daughters, Anne McCauley (husband Tom Ferguson) of Wellesley, MA and Janet L. McCauley (husband Rainer Skorupa) of Chapel Hill, NC; and two granddaughters, Chloe Ferguson Ekserdjian (husband Alex Ekserdjian) and Louisa Ferguson (husband Lukasz Mosakowski), both of New York City. Her siblings, Raymond Tatum of Burlington, NC, Betty Tatum Mackenzie of Greensboro, NC and Willie Tatum Burks of Richmond, VA predeceased her, as did her husband.

For the health of friends and family during the pandemic, there will be a memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church scheduled at a later date. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 508 W. Davis Street, Burlington, NC 27215.

Finally, the family would like to express its thanks to the home health caregivers who faithfully took care of Aileen during four years of declining health, and to AuthoraCare Collective-Burlington Campus for their hospice services.

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