Anne M. Caldwell, 98, peacefully passed away at home in Centralia, WA on April 1, 2011, with her family by her side. She was born February 9, 1913 in Butte, MT to Clara Marie (Steinborn) Fox and Edward Fox. When she and sister Eloise were young, Edward Fox died during the 1918 flu epidemic. Life might have been more difficult if it had not been for her wonderful grandparents, Annamarie and Henry J. Steinborn and her Aunt Mable and Uncle Frank Doull, who lived nearby. Clara married Louis R. Kilberer in 1923, adopted Anne and Eloise and gave them his name. She always thought of him as Dad.
Anne graduated from Butte High school at 16 years old in 1928, attended the Montana School of Mines (one of two women) and graduated Suma Cum Laude from the University of Washington in 1935 with a degree in romance languages and math. She always wanted to go to law school, but her Dad told her it was not something that women did. That same year she married, Howard Eason Caldwell from Bothell, WA, a pharmacy grad from WSU. They lived in Auburn, Tacoma, and Chehalis before settling in Centralia, WA in 1943 after Eas and Louis Kilberer purchased Young Drugs (later Caldwell Drug) at the corner of Tower and Main.
She is survived by a loving family: sons, Louis (Sue) Caldwell, Lk. Tapps/Phoenix; Mark (Sylvia) Caldwell, Lacy; daughter, Carol (Duane) Lewellen, Lynnwood, WA.; and niece Dr. Elaine Wilson (OK). She was the proud Grammy to Ray (Heather) Caldwell, Karen Caldwell, Nancy Foley, Laura Caldwell, and Evan Lewellen. Anne was very proud of her 6 great-grandchildren, Sylver, Ronan, Neo and Sophia Foley and Usha and Krina Caldwell. She was also close to her former daughters in law, Mary Lacy and Susie Mahony. Anne also leaves her very close friends, Meta and Phillip Wickstrom and Frank and Ann Rosa.
Anne was best known for her hundreds of hours spent volunteering in the community, county and state. She was very active in her church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centralia, and held every position possible. Anne helped found the Evergreen Playhouse (one of her proudest accomplishments), chaired the Lewis County Salk Polio Vaccine Campaign in the ‘50s, volunteered hundreds of hours at Centralia General Hospital and Providence Centralia. She was the first woman elected to the Centralia Chamber of Commerce Board in the ’60s. She felt strongly about education and she chaired bond and levy campaigns for the Centralia School District. Anne sat on the first board of Directors for Centralia College, then later the Wa. State Board of Directors for Community Colleges. She volunteered often in the elementary and high schools. Her last board appointment was as a member of Providence Hospital Centralia.
While volunteering, she still found lots of time to travel all over the world, act in and direct plays at the Evergreen Playhouse, knit, play bridge, read books, work crossword puzzles and spend time with her grandchildren.
Ann had a great sense of humor that she kept until the end.
Thanks go to all the great staff at Colonial Residence, friends who gave her rides to church, Assured Home Health Hospice, and all her other friends in Centralia.
A memorial service will be held at St. Christopher’s Community (Episcopal) Church, 7902 Steamboat Island Road NW, Olympia 98502 on Saturday, May 21st at 1pm, reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers please remember Anne with donations in her name to Centralia College Foundation, 600 Centralia College Blvd, Centralia, WA 98531 or the Evergreen Playhouse, 226 West Center St. Centralia, WA 98531.
