On Saturday, November 18, 2023.  Herdean Lamar McCaw was peacefully called to eternal rest by God. Herdean was born on June 12, 1949 in Millen, GA to Ida Mae (Solomon) Burch. Nicknamed Ellen Dean, she spent her youth in Chattanooga, TN with her beloved aunt and uncle, James and Willie Mae Solomon.  As a teenager, she moved to Middletown, CT with her parents, Ida Mae and Thomas Burch. On December 27, 1969, she became the beloved wife to DePressley McCaw, Jr. After marriage, Herdean traveled with DePressley during his service in the U.S. Air Force and eventually moved to Plantsville, CT where she resided for over 40 years.

In addition to family life, Herdean was an educator, a lifelong learner, and a lover of Christ. She truly enjoyed every opportunity she had to teach, whether working as a substitute teacher in TX, working as a literacy volunteer through her work at Travelers Insurance or teaching English at the technical high schools in CT. She loved to read and would spend hours in her local library, used bookstores and loved visiting libraries on various college campuses while traveling, another joy of hers.  Herdean supported the arts in all its forms and especially loved the music at her church, Plantsville Congregational Church, UCC.

Herdean was committed to her family whom she loved and cherished, and she will be missed as an exemplary mother to her daughters, Karianta D. McCaw and Taneta D. McCaw. She was the best Nana to her two grandchildren, Persephone D. Blaise and Andre D. McCaw-Todd who will miss her loving care and tender lessons.  She also leaves her father, Thomas Burch, her sister, Gloria J. Welch and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and a godson.  Herdean was predeceased by her mother.

Funeral services will be held on Friday (Nov. 24th) at 12 p.m. at Biega Funeral Home, 3 Silver St., Middletown. Burial will be held on Monday (Nov. 27th) at 10 a.m. at the State Veterans' Cemetery, 317 Bow Lane, Middletown. Visitation for relatives and friends is on Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Biega Funeral Home, prior to the service. The family requests donations to the American Diabetes Association https://diabetes.org and the National Kidney Foundation https://www.kidney.org The family would like to especially thank all of her care givers and the staff at The Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain General campus for the extraordinary care provided to Herdean over the past few months. To share memories or express condolences online please visit www.biegafuneralhome.com.