Ann A. Caswell

Ann Allais Caswell (age 83) Of Reston, VA died unexpectedly on September 25, 2026, surrounded by loved ones at INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital, Fairfax VA. She was born May 19, 1943, in Cincinnati, OH, the daughter of Helen and Richard Allais. Ann attended Athens High School in Athens, GA. She then went on to a career that included a variety of roles, responsibilities and interests, which she took very seriously and excelled at them all. As an officer’s wife in the US Air Force officer’s wife’s clubs, a crisis counselor for a suicide hotline, a private investigator, and a full-time mom to two very active children. Ann’s skills, talents and patience were always appreciated. Never more so, however, than within the needlework community and industries which she embraced and treasured so much. Ann began teaching needlework in 1979, specializing in thread techniques with over 150 different types of threads, and was considered both a thread and color expert. She co-authored a book on threads, The Thread Thesaurus.  Her designs have appeared in books and magazines, working in both retail and wholesale businesses and taught for needlework shops, thread companies, and guilds across North America. Ann was the shop manager for the American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) Seminar and was the National President of the ANG while also serving on the ANG Correspondence Course faculty.

Ann was predeceased in 2010 by her beloved husband William M Caswell (Kaz), and is survived by daughter Teri Caswell (Kathi Westcott), son Rich Caswell (Cheri Roth), her treasured granddaughters Nicki Caswell and Krista Caswell (Ian McCartney), sister Cathey Indeck (Matt Indeck), a niece, nephews, a great niece and great nephews, as well as many friends. Kalie, Ann’s cherished dog and constant companion for ten years, is now living in the hills of West Virginia running around with other animals thanks to some special friends who adopted Kalie to provide her with a 2^nd chapter to her happy life. A celebration of Ann’s life will be held at a future date.