John Roger McCauley

Surrounded by his family, John Roger McCauley of Christiansburg, Virginia passed away peacefully on January 12, 2018 at the age of 89.
Cherished husband of 52 years to Elizabeth, Roger was born to James Joseph McCauley and Etta Susan Doherty on March 26, 1928 in the Irish neighborhood of Everett, Massachusetts. He was predeceased by his older brother James 'Jimmy’ Patrick McCauley.
A military veteran, Roger was a member of the United States Navy (1946-1948) serving aboard the USS Crag. He was an outstanding and involved student and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Economics in 1952 from Boston University. He then served in the Air Force Reserve from 1952-1966.
Roger worked as a local comptroller in Charleston, South Carolina where he met Charleston-born Catherine Elizabeth Dalton. They were married in St Mary’s Church in Charleston on January 30, 1965 with Jimmy McCauley serving as best man and JoAnne Dalton Lawhorn serving as matron of honor.
Roger accepted a position with the Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., and he and Elizabeth moved during a snowstorm to Virginia in 1965. This began a long career of working within the US Trade Department and Roger travelling extensively to the Middle East. During the early years of their marriage they lived in Annandale, and Reston (Deepwood), Virginia.
Roger and Elizabeth had 5 children: John Joseph (Amy), Michael Dalton, David Christopher, Catherine Susan (Joshua) and Charles Andrew (Rebecca). He was a proud grandfather to Amanda, Kristen, Dalton and Margaret. Roger was also godfather to Kelly Walsh, Kevin Lawhorn and Ethan Berlin.
As a Foreign Service Diplomat, Roger served in the American Embassy in London in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. In 1981 he was commercial attaché in the American Embassy in Athens where the family lived in Politia, Greece.
In 1986 Roger took a position under Governor Gerald Baliles in Richmond, Virginia in the Department of Economic Development and accompanied the Governor to China and Japan. In 1989 he accepted a position at the International Economic Competitiveness department at Radford University for two years. Roger finally retired to the New River Valley community of Christiansburg in 1996.
Often on the go, Roger and Elizabeth continued to travel around the United States and Ireland. An Irish citizen, Roger is a member of the Isle of Doagh Doherty family and the Barr family of Carndonagh in Co. Donegal. A sports fan, Roger cheered for the Red Soxs, the Washington Redskins and Hokie football. A one time resident of Chicago, he was not averse to rooting for the Cubs on occasion.
A private burial service will be held at the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, Virginia.