Obituary of Bill Caldwell

To watch the recording of the service, click this link:

https://video.ibm.com/embed/recorded/133143942

CALDWELL, William "Bill" Brown
23 December 1928 - 25 October 2023

On Wednesday 25 October, Bill Caldwell died peacefully in the loving care of Janet, his wife of 60 years. He is survived by Janet and their three children – Neal (Kristin), Lynn (Moe) and Diane (Jonathan) – and by five grandchildren – Aidan, Zachary, Adelle, Naomi and Vivian. 

Bill lived his 94 years continuously demonstrating his core strengths of empathy and kindness to all living creatures. His humility and sense of justice were known to all who experienced his gentle, quiet presence. Bill grew up on a farm near Lilac, Saskatchewan, with his brothers and sister - Tom, Laura and Bert - attending small schools in the area. His early work took him from a threshing crew to service in the RCAF as an airframe technician with NATO forces in France and England and postings in Ontario, Quebec and Yukon. For 12 years, he was a psychiatric nurse at Saskatchewan Hospital where he made many lifelong friends; it was there that he met Janet, who had travelled from England to work as an occupational therapist. Bill and Janet married in Northampton, England, in 1963. They lived and worked in North Battleford until 1966 when they relocated to Meadow Lake, which became their home for 52 years until they moved to Saskatoon. In Meadow Lake, Bill worked as a social worker in Family Services and served the community through his work and activities, including with Grace United Church, the local school board, Rotary club, Masonic Lodge, and Victim Services. He bowled, cross-country skied, golfed and curled (including a long remembered 8-Ender) with many Meadow Lake friends, and he enjoyed watching curling and football. Bill’s memory and keen attention to words and ideas were evident in his ability to recite poems learned decades earlier at school and the ever-present newspaper or crossword puzzle in hand: someone once said to him “that’s the epitome of confidence, Bill Caldwell! - doing a crossword puzzle in pen!” Bill and Janet grew and tended to bountiful gardens and to a cabin - which Bill built out of two shacks - where the family shared memory-filled summers.

A celebration of Bill’s life was held at McClure United Church, 4025 Taylor Street East, in Saskatoon at 1:30pm on Thursday 2 November 2023, with the Rev. Debra Berg officiating. 

Private interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in Saskatoon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Northwest Community Lodge in Meadow Lake https://www.ourlodge.org/about, the Meadow Lake Hospital Foundation https://www.meadowlakehospitalfoundation.com/, or Waskoosis Safe Shelter in Meadow Lake https://waskoosisshelter.com/contact/.