Lois Caffey, a Pioneering Woman in Pest Management, Passes Away

ALEXANDRIA, La. — Lois (Granger) Caffey, longtime corporate secretary-treasurer for Adams Pest Control, Alexandria, La, passed away on May 19, at her home. She was 89, and had previously suffered a stroke a few weeks prior to her death.

In a career spanning more than 40 years in the pest control industry, Caffey continued her busy schedule even into her later years. She was the past president of the Louisiana Pest Management Association (1973), and served on numerous National Pest Management Association committees. 

A pioneer in the industry, Caffey was the first female president of a state pest control association (LPMA). Butch Morrison, president of Adams Pest Control and Caffey’s nephew, said she would often attend pest control meetings where she was the only woman out of about 200 people. 

“She led a really remarkable life when you think about overcoming the challenges of being a woman working in a male-dominated world,” Morrison said. “She started at Adams Pest Control in 1961 as a part-time employee. Mr. (Paul) Adams recognized her abilities and kept throwing different responsibilities her way.”

Caffey was one of the driving forces behind the creation of a termite training center at Louisiana State University by both promoting it and raising funds. In 2001, The LSU Board of Supervisors named the facility the Lois Caffey Termite Training Center in her honor. 

“Her passion for helping to train other pest management professionals was genuine,” Morrison said. “She genuinely wanted to help them become the best of they could be.”

In an article she wrote for PCT in 1993, Caffey explained her dedication to the field, stating “if one has the wisdom of experience and the energy, drive and enthusiasm of youth, in most cases, numerical age is irrelevant.”