Surrounded by her loving family, Ora Lee Evans Caldwell, 91, a longtime resident of Silsbee, passed into Glory on September 5, 2016, at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont. She was born on December 13, 1924, in Village Mills, to Bessie M. Sirmons Evans and Lee Young Evans.
At age 4, her family moved to Silsbee where she attended public schools and graduated from Silsbee High School, where she was a proud member of the Silsbee High School band. In March 1943, she met the love of her life, Sgt. Charles F. “Pee Wee” Caldwell, of Oakdale, Louisiana, and after a whirlwind courtship they were married on June 5, 1943, and were married for sixty years.
Mrs. Caldwell was a faithful, active member of First United Methodist Church in Silsbee for over fifty-eight years, where she served in numerous positions of leadership from Sunday School teacher to president of her Sunday School class. Lee enjoyed sewing, photography, and gardening, but over the years her passion for cooking developed and nothing would please her more than cooking for her family and others. At the age of 87 she was still cooking and typing her recipes. Mrs. Caldwell was proud of her community and was always helping meet the needs of others. She retired from Temple Inland Forest Products, Inc. in 1984, where she worked as a secretary for twenty-four years.
Survivors include her children, Lynn Hardy and spouse, Pat, of Silsbee; Douglas Caldwell of Nederland; and Jan Hallmark and spouse, Dan, of Beaumont; grandchildren, Tom Hardy and spouse, Michelle, of Silsbee; Charles Hardy and spouse, Michael Leger, of Galveston; Jessica Caldwell of Houston; Autumn Caldwell Schoen and spouse, Robert, of Houston; Curt Woodard and spouse, Kelly, of Hubert, North Carolina; Clint Woodard and spouse, Brittney, of Silsbee; Stephen Hallmark and spouse, Jessica, of Beaumont; and Wendy Spears Hallmark and spouse, Chris, of Houston; and sixteen great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Charles “Pee Wee” Caldwell; and stepmothers, Carrie Parker Evans and Viola Wales Evans Fowler.
A gathering of Mrs. Caldwell’s family and friends will begin at 1:00 p.m., with her funeral service at 3:00 p.m., Thursday, September 8, 2016, at First United Methodist Church, 670 North 5th Street, Silsbee, under the direction of Broussard’s, Silsbee. Her interment will follow at Resthaven Cemetery, Silsbee.
In lieu of flowers, memorials contributions may be made to; First United Methodist Church, 670 North 5th Street, Silsbee, Texas 77656; Trinity United Methodist Church, 3430 Harrison, Beaumont, Texas 77706; or Wesley United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 985, Nederland, Texas 77627.
Complete and updated information may be found at: broussards1889.com.
