James Alan Caldwell

This is a poem  I wrote for my DAD I hope everyone will take time to think of him as they read it...

Dad we miss you so much this time of year

It isn't your combine or truck we see or hear

Your birthdday has came and went

but we remember past ones we spent

You in the field shelling your corn

that you planted, watched grow it seemedlike since the day you were born

No more combine rides, hayrack rides

campfires and such

No more laughter down at your campfire

that's how we all stayed in touch

But as we watch the crops disappear

We try to wipe away those lingering tears

We know your safe and planting your fields of gold

Telling your stories, which to us are memories we hold

We do not understand why God took you away

We miss your deisel smell, hearty laugh and how you

made everything seem okay

I miss you Dad and I always will

but I try to be strong and keep climbing up this hill

I'll never forget OUR "Turkey Road"

and how we laughed out loud with windows rolled down the wind in our hair

You could always make me feel like a kid

I will always hold a special place for you in my heart

I know you cannot be here with us

but you'll never be far away

in our hearts, minds and memories you'll always stay

I Love and miss you Daddy

Your loving daughter Carrie Ann

You  would be happy to know I have a new baby daughter who was born on the 18th of July 2007  Her name is Alice James, how lucky she is to be blessed with that name, i only wish you were here to share in her growing up.  Love ya Dad

this is a poem that my best friend wrote and spoke at his wedding reception recently. i was the best man.  brandon wrote this for dad and for his wifes father who passed away in the last year or so from a heart attack. it was also a very sudden death. 

i thought everyone would enjoy it, and also see how special dad was to even my best buddy!

                             GONE, BUT NOT LOST

Men of valor, men of god

father of mallory and tyler

father of susan, carrie and jon

two honest men, with hearts of gold

unselfish lives, sometimes untold

one was a talker, the other not so much

one a politician, the other a mechanics touch

danny loved the redskins and watching ty play ball

jim taking our motto, "if its brown its down" in the fall

they gave their lives to god you see

setting the example for you and me

although we cant be just like them

we take comfort knowing they are within

as we start our new life together

knowing  someday we'll get to see god the father

we'll soon be united with the ones who have paid the cost

eternally knowing they gone, but are not lost.

Dad, Christmas will be so hard w/ out you this year, for all of us, as you always seemed to turn into a big kid around this time of year!!! I remember as I'm sure Susan does when we got the three wheelers!!! And you always had a few tricks up your sleve, like filling a briefcase for Jon, or cases of diet coke for me Ha Ha!!! and you were always so excited about the holidays. Maddie said she was really going to miss coming over to make carmel corn w/ you as it was such a tradition that I know you and all of us looked forward to. I always have to smile when I think about how you & mom would always have to make sure we  had the BEST Christmas's, and we did, Jon, Suzy, and I. I also have to laugh at how mom would always talk about ( and it always had to be 2 -3 days before Christmas) well Jim thought we needed to run to Macomb so we could pick out a few more things ; ).  And you were always sneaking off to Macomb to do your own sphopping, I know it meant and still means alot to all us kids and mom how you thought of us in your own way.

It was hard this deer season w/ out you around for everyone, though the guys did really good I am sure they missed sharing the hunting stories with you. But I am sure you were watching over them and smiling that you had started this tradition and it will be forever carried on!!! So as Christmas is coming and my thoughts seem to never veer very far from how much I will miss you, I will try to be strong and remember how much fun we always had watching, ChristmasVacation, The Christmas Story, and how you could recite lines out of them. I will also miss playing games with you as you always got a kick out of razzing us whenever we played w/ you.  I love you and will be thinking of you and remembering all the wonderful memories you made for us this time of year, although Christmas for me will never be the same, I know a part of you will always be with all of us. Miss you sooo much dad, and you are forever in my heart.  Love Crappy Ann ( I hated that nickname), but nowI cherish it :)!!!!!!!

it feels like fall and it brings back so many memories. wether it be in the woods or in the field i treasure those memories more than anything. someone told me not long after your passing that the memories would get sweeter and stronger as time passed and that seems to be very true.  it seems like just yesterday that i was running the combine for you after work. you always told me get home, but i never wanted to leave, you would say, 'you better go, so your not to tired for work tomorrow"  i just wish i could of been there more.  i learned so much from you.  from how to turn a wrench to things that were never said but just understood.  it was always such a joy to see how much you could get done all by yourself. example, the squirrel cage fan it the rafters of the shed.  that makes us all laugh! 

i miss you every day but when i do i smile

love

jon