Eleanor Caldwell

Eleanor Myers Caldwell

She was born on February 21st 1932 and died on December 12th, 2020. She packed a whole lot of life into the years in between. She was the mother of nine children and anyone else who ended up on her doorstep. We even welcomed a foster child for a time. Her Husband, Bill Caldwell, had to spend a lot of time on the road to support the family which often left her to raise us on her own. She always had time for service in the Catholic church and managed to do that and still do costuming for the Little Theater in Atlanta and take on many volunteer jobs when she felt she could be useful. She was a serial adopter of homeless animals and at one point we had 23 pets including a skunk and a monkey. Later, after moving to Winston Salem she worked for the Red Cross helping with the blood mobiles and at the information desk at Baptist Hospital. She even took a job as a machinist at Reynolds Tobacco for a time.

She finally realized a dream of moving out to the country in northern Forsyth County. When she got there she followed a different path than many city women that fulfill a country life fantasy. She learned to pluck a chicken and milk a goat and many other tasks that defined a rural life to her. We raised some of our own meat and eggs, made goat’s milk cheese and grew many of our own vegetables. She had no background in mechanical things yet if the car wouldn’t go she would  grab some tools. She might call someone for advice, but often as not she would find a way to make it run.

She had a twin sister, our aunt Martha. We called her Iyah. Her children called my mom Iyah. They ended up calling each other Iyah. Somehow that all made sense.

Our mother was a force of nature. When she decided something had to happen she would not be deterred, It would happen if only by the force of her will. Everyone learned to get out of the way.

She had a colorful way with the language, “Oh for crying in a bucket”, "Shoot a monkey”, "You act like a tree fell on you”, and many others served to replace less socially acceptable phrases. We knew what they meant.

She gave us an irreplaceable childhood. We didn’t even know we were different.

Eleanor is joining two of her sons, Chuck and Chris Who left us before their time. She had nine children, twelve grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. She will be joining our dad and a large loving extended family in the afterlife listening to stories from Colonel Turtle and admiring Aunt Dixie’s eternally polished silver.

Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com.