On Thursday, January 14, 2021, Caroline Josephine Spana — revered matriarch, nursing professor, vaccination advocate, ruthless Scrabble opponent and seamstress — left this existence on her terms, at home with family. She was 83 years old.
She was born in San Antonio on July 24, 1937, to Leo and Hazel (Terry) Schoch. She attended Incarnate Word College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1959. Caroline wed Ronald Spana, on July 29, 1960. Immediately afterwards, the couple left for Turkey for a few years. Upon returning to San Antonio, Caroline joined IWC's School of Nursing faculty in 1964 and soon thereafter completed a Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University. In 1994, she earned a doctorate in Parent Child Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin.
Caroline was active in faculty governance at Incarnate Word, serving as the first woman to preside over the Faculty Association. In 2013, after a distinguished 50 years of service at the university, Caroline retired from her role as coordinator of student advising and director of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. For over 60 years, she acted in various local and state roles for the Texas Nurses Association, encouraged her students to become members of TNA and, ultimately, advocated for nurse participation in change and health policy making.
Caroline was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her brother Michael. She is survived by eight siblings and their partners; her seven children and their partners; four grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and cat: McCracken ("Mac").
Caroline will be remembered for many things: beneficence, both private and public; thriftiness (she never met a tin she wanted to throw out); her David-and-Goliath attitude toward the healthcare industry; making countless drapes, dresses, pajamas and Halloween costumes; her cross-stitch; her dolls; her wit; being a life-long reader; deftness with butterfly bandages; puzzling over puzzles.
As per her wish, Caroline was laid to rest next to her grandmother, Josephine Linn Terry.
She was born in San Antonio on July 24, 1937, to Leo and Hazel (Terry) Schoch. She attended Incarnate Word College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1959. Caroline wed Ronald Spana, on July 29, 1960. Immediately afterwards, the couple left for Turkey for a few years. Upon returning to San Antonio, Caroline joined IWC's School of Nursing faculty in 1964 and soon thereafter completed a Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University. In 1994, she earned a doctorate in Parent Child Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin.
Caroline was active in faculty governance at Incarnate Word, serving as the first woman to preside over the Faculty Association. In 2013, after a distinguished 50 years of service at the university, Caroline retired from her role as coordinator of student advising and director of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. For over 60 years, she acted in various local and state roles for the Texas Nurses Association, encouraged her students to become members of TNA and, ultimately, advocated for nurse participation in change and health policy making.
Caroline was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her brother Michael. She is survived by eight siblings and their partners; her seven children and their partners; four grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and cat: McCracken ("Mac").
Caroline will be remembered for many things: beneficence, both private and public; thriftiness (she never met a tin she wanted to throw out); her David-and-Goliath attitude toward the healthcare industry; making countless drapes, dresses, pajamas and Halloween costumes; her cross-stitch; her dolls; her wit; being a life-long reader; deftness with butterfly bandages; puzzling over puzzles.
As per her wish, Caroline was laid to rest next to her grandmother, Josephine Linn Terry.
On Thursday, January 14, 2021, Caroline Josephine Spana — revered matriarch, nursing professor, vaccination advocate, ruthless Scrabble opponent and seamstress — left this existence on her terms, at home with family. She was 83 years old.
She was born in San Antonio on July 24, 1937, to Leo and Hazel (Terry) Schoch. She attended Incarnate Word College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1959. Caroline wed Ronald Spana, on July 29, 1960. Immediately afterwards, the couple left for Turkey for a few years. Upon returning to San Antonio, Caroline joined IWC's School of Nursing faculty in 1964 and soon thereafter completed a Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University. In 1994, she earned a doctorate in Parent Child Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin.
Caroline was active in faculty governance at Incarnate Word, serving as the first woman to preside over the Faculty Association. In 2013, after a distinguished 50 years of service at the university, Caroline retired from her role as coordinator of student advising and director of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. For over 60 years, she acted in various local and state roles for the Texas Nurses Association, encouraged her students to become members of TNA and, ultimately, advocated for nurse participation in change and health policy making.
Caroline was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her brother Michael. She is survived by eight siblings and their partners; her seven children and their partners; four grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and cat: McCracken ("Mac").
Caroline will be remembered for many things: beneficence, both private and public; thriftiness (she never met a tin she wanted to throw out); her David-and-Goliath attitude toward the healthcare industry; making countless drapes, dresses, pajamas and Halloween costumes; her cross-stitch; her dolls; her wit; being a life-long reader; deftness with butterfly bandages; puzzling over puzzles.
As per her wish, Caroline was laid to rest next to her grandmother, Josephine Linn Terry.
She was born in San Antonio on July 24, 1937, to Leo and Hazel (Terry) Schoch. She attended Incarnate Word College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1959. Caroline wed Ronald Spana, on July 29, 1960. Immediately afterwards, the couple left for Turkey for a few years. Upon returning to San Antonio, Caroline joined IWC's School of Nursing faculty in 1964 and soon thereafter completed a Master of Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University. In 1994, she earned a doctorate in Parent Child Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin.
Caroline was active in faculty governance at Incarnate Word, serving as the first woman to preside over the Faculty Association. In 2013, after a distinguished 50 years of service at the university, Caroline retired from her role as coordinator of student advising and director of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. For over 60 years, she acted in various local and state roles for the Texas Nurses Association, encouraged her students to become members of TNA and, ultimately, advocated for nurse participation in change and health policy making.
Caroline was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her brother Michael. She is survived by eight siblings and their partners; her seven children and their partners; four grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and cat: McCracken ("Mac").
Caroline will be remembered for many things: beneficence, both private and public; thriftiness (she never met a tin she wanted to throw out); her David-and-Goliath attitude toward the healthcare industry; making countless drapes, dresses, pajamas and Halloween costumes; her cross-stitch; her dolls; her wit; being a life-long reader; deftness with butterfly bandages; puzzling over puzzles.
As per her wish, Caroline was laid to rest next to her grandmother, Josephine Linn Terry.
Gravesite Details
Caroline's great-grandparents, Stephen W. Terry and Volumnia Jane Adams, were the founders of the Terry family Cemetery in San Saba, Texas.
Family Members
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