Joseph Hollis "Joe" Caldwell

A memorial service for Joseph Hollis "Joe" Caldwell, 86, of Wills Point, TX, is scheduled for 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 21, 2019, at Hiett's LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time.

Joseph Hollis Caldwell departed this life on Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at Baylor Hospital after suffering an accident at his home.

Joe was born May 31, 1933, to Mary Grace Dixon and William Franklin Caldwell in the Enterprise Community near Wills Point, Texas. He spent most of his youth on the Champion Farm and Wynne Ranch near Wills Point. He attended Wills Point schools and participated in several sports, including basketball, fast pitch softball and track. In order to play sports, his sister gave him a bike to ride the ten miles to town. He graduated from Wills Point High School in 1951.

Joe served in the U. S. Army at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and Ft. Huachuca, Arizona.  While in the service, he married his childhood sweetheart, Mattie Naomi McFarland on February 10, 1955. They had two children Larry Michael and Rhonda Denise.  In 1978, another daughter was added to the family when Larry Michael married Carol Barragan.

After returning from the Army he received an Associate’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from UT Arlington by attending night school while working days at LTV as a machinist. Later, Joe worked at Campbell Taggert as a machinist in the research machine shop and then became supervisor managing the custom equipment fabrication plant which manufactured bread and pastry-making machines.  He worked there 27 years before retiring at the age of 59. 

Joe was an innovative inventor who always looked for the most efficient way to do things whether in his work or his hobbies.  One of his inventions was a pea sheller which he fabricated.  His ingenuity and Naomi’s creativity were complementary and their teamwork was displayed in small and large projects ranging from custom-made birdhouses which they enjoyed making and giving to their family and friends to building their own home after they retired to Wills Point.  They worked together planting, tending, harvesting, and preserving bountiful gardens.  Joe and Naomi worked as a team in all areas of life for 64 years. 

Everyone who knew Joe could list numerous attributes including his quiet, but strong, faith which was demonstrated by many gestures of kindness and generosity.  He was active for many years in the Congregational Methodist Church where he and Naomi served together in many areas and raised their children to be strong Christians.

Joe was a role model and teacher to his children and his many nephews and nieces and extended family, besides those he influenced through his church ministry and other activities.  Joe taught by example, modeling his love of God, love of his family, love of his friends, and love of the outdoors (whether hunting, fishing, or gardening). No family gathering was complete without Joe’s wry sense of humor, wit and story-telling. He loved life and displayed joy in living which he shared with all of us.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gracie and Bill Caldwell, his sisters, Mary Lee, Onita (Nita), Leta May, and Nettie Lou and brothers, Lenard, William Henry, Jessie Leon, and Donald Ray.

He is survived by his wife, Naomi, his children Rhonda of Richardson, Mike and his wife Carol of Grand Prairie and his large extended family of Caldwells and McFarlands.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be given to Hope Pregnancy Center. (PO Box 742, Canton, TX 75103; www.hopecanton.com, donate tab)

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