Della Marie Sims McCaughan

Della Marie Sims McCaughan, age 92, passed away February 4, 2021, in Biloxi, Mississippi. Arrangements for a memorial service officiated by Rev. Hart Clawson are pending. Born on April 10, 1928, in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Della McCaughan was the youngest child of John Jefferson (Jeff) Sims and Nora Belle Tullos Sims. She was honored to claim the Mississippi Gulf Coast as her lifetime home. Mrs. McCaughan was a charter member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Biloxi Mississippi. At the time of her death, Mrs. McCaughan remained a member of First Baptist Church in Biloxi, Mississippi. Mrs. McCaughan was a teacher in the Biloxi Public School System for 44 years. Her teaching career included: Dukate Elementary, Mary L. Michelle Junior High School, Biloxi High School, University of Southern Mississippi (Keesler Air Force Base and Gulf Park campuses), William Carey College, University of Alaska, Johns Hopkins University, and Scripps Institute. During her tenure as teacher, she taught fifth and sixth grade, biology, marine biology, and served as Chairman of the Science Department. She was the first person in the nation to teach Marine Biology at the high school level. Additionally, she wrote the first textbook to be used for that purpose. Della loved teaching and believed in her students, working tirelessly to help them realize their potential. The value she placed on education can be summed up by the quote that was painted on her classroom wall, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for the day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” --Lao-Tzu. Della believed in “hands on” learning and that the classroom should not be defined by four walls. She designed a curriculum that allowed students to travel to local barrier islands for educational field trips. Della was known nationally for her innovative teaching techniques. Many school systems modeled their Marine Biology program after the one she developed at Biloxi High School. She went above and beyond helping to secure scholarships and funding for college for numerous students, especially encouraging them to embrace science as a career. Mrs. McCaughan had great respect for the Gulf Coast fishermen and worked with them to learn about the local ecosystems and habitats. In a class with Dr. Gordon Gunter, at the Gulf Coast Research Lab, she discovered cataleptic trance in Opsanus Beta and, together, they co-authored the paper presenting the discovery. A lifetime conservationist, Mrs. McCaughan worked diligently to preserve the delicate balance of life in the Mississippi Sound and along the Barrier Islands of Mississippi--testifying on more than one occasion before Congress on the value of these natural resources. Della McCaughan’s educational experience included: Pass Christian High School, Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College-Perkinston Campus, University of Southern Mississippi, Bowdoin College, Colorado University, Baldwin Wallace College, Hamline University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Cornell University, and LSU, among others. She published many materials for educational purposes and reference in cooperation with the University of Southern Mississippi, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. In conjunction with the Mississippi Sea Grant Consortium and University of Southern Mississippi, she wrote A Guide to the Marine Resources and many marine biology booklets to assist elementary students in learning about their own environment. In addition, she compiled Marine Resources and History of the Gulf Coast, a set of four books, for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Della was the recipient of many awards. Some of her most valued awards include: Shell Merritt Fellowship, Mother of the Year, and Teacher of the Year. She was awarded an Einstein Congressional Fellowship to work in the U.S. Senate as an educational advisor. In 1994, Mrs. McCaughan was sponsored by the Tandy Corporation and featured in Fortune, Time, and Forbes magazines, with other selected science teachers, as one of the “brightest, most industrious minds in America”. Additionally, in 1994, she received a commendation through Senate Concurrent Resolution Number 578, whereby the Mississippi State Legislature issued a commendation on her outstanding career and meritorious service during her years as an educator. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 63 years, Finley Brandt McCaughan. Survivors include: Two daughters, Leona McCaughan Clawson of Jefferson, TX (Hart) and Diana McCaughan Rodwig of Covington, LA (Bobby); beloved nephew, Michael Walker of Covington, LA; grandchildren, William Hart Clawson, Jr. of Jefferson, TX, Trinity Clawson of Sapulpa, Ok, Brandt Reece Clawson (Brianna) of Madison, WI, Finley Marie Clawson of Jefferson, TX, Aimee Alexandra Rodwig of Covington, LA, Catherine Lee Clawson of Jefferson, TX, Cameron Clawson of Shreveport, LA, Isabella Grace Rodwig, of Covington, LA; Sisters-in-law, Jennie Lee Lacy of Long Beach, MS and Helen Sims of Malo, WA; many treasured nieces and nephews; and hundreds of cherished students. Her family wishes to extend thanks to the staff of Brookdale Assisted Living and Southern Care Hospice, in Biloxi, for exemplary care and kindness. For those wishing to honor Mrs. McCaughan’s memory, the family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to: Biloxi First; P.O. Box 982; Biloxi, MS. 39533 -- a non-profit organization supporting education. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the McCaughan family.