Jean Caldwell

The family of the late Jean Caldwell is heartbroken to announce her passing, on December 18, 2022, in Halifax.

Jean was born in Halifax on November 2, 1925, the second of four daughters, to Norman and Kathleen (Armstrong) Mackay. She grew up with Point Pleasant Park as her playground and Halifax Harbour her entertainment. She attended Halifax Ladies College, where she was head girl, excelling in academics and athletics. While in her teens and after the death of her father, the family moved to Wolfville, where she attended Acadia University, graduating in 1946. She was thrilled when her 1944-45 varsity basketball team was inducted into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame. She worked in Montreal, skiing in the Laurentians at every opportunity and playing and coaching basketball, before returning to Halifax to marry Lloyd Caldwell, whom she had met at a dance at Acadia years earlier, in 1949. (Unbeknownst to him they were also classmates but given she always snuck into class late, it was understandable.)

Jean and Lloyd had five children, Jeannie, Andy, Betsy, Cathy, and Trish, and together they created a loving and busy home. Mum balanced it all, and somehow managed to continue her involvement in sports and volunteer work in the community. She volunteered her time for a variety of causes including multi-year surveying of accessibility in public buildings in Halifax and Dartmouth, for which she was awarded a lifetime membership by the Canadian Paraplegic Association.

Following the death of her husband Lloyd (2002) and her son Andy (2004) she moved to Tideways in Wolfville, from where she explored every square inch of the valley with great friends over the next decade. She returned to Halifax in 2015, residing in Melville Heights, then moved back to the Valley in 2018, before moving in with her daughter Trish and her family in February 2020. Shortly after moving in and on the eve of the pandemic reaching Atlantic Canada, she gamely headed to the north shore of PEI with Trish, for what was expected to be a 3 week stay but turned into 14. She never complained about the isolation and instead delighted in watching foxes, eagles, and snow buntings with binoculars always at hand. Over the last 3 years she was absorbed into the general life of a family returning home to weather out the pandemic. She loved the mayhem, the company, sharing of the morning paper, and big evening gatherings. During this time, she was supported by homecare workers from Northwood and Parkwood Agencies. Last month we celebrated her 97th birthday with a favourite meal and champagne. Sadly, a fall a week later set off declining mobility and health. She moved into Northwood Manor two weeks later, received excellent medical and nursing care, but passed away in her sleep three weeks later.

That, in a nutshell, was the nuts and bolts of Jean’s life. But there was more, so much more.

Jean was a considerate and loyal friend, a loving and supportive wife and a fun loving, and steady mother. She was a gardener (soil, compost and tools always at the ready and she spent

last summer tending carrots, geraniums, and nasturtiums in the deck planters), a birdwatcher (small binoculars lived in her walker basket), an animal lover (our house was filled with cats and dogs, a rabbit, and a pet chicken), and a plant and leaf identifier (every grandchild can attest to this). She loved a good storm, almost as much as a good fire (yes, she did follow firetrucks, and if you were too young to stay by yourself, you were taken along in the back of the station wagon. Trish was woken at least twice and carted off in her pyjamas.)

She enjoyed curling, loved golfing, and skied for over 60 years. She was a backcountry canoer and canoe trip leader, taking many of her family and friends on these adventures. She was a great bridge player and especially loved playing with a close group of friends - the Bridge and Poker Club - regularly for nearly 50 years. She embraced new communication and technology, managing FaceTime with grandchildren and great grandchildren on a regular basis, though she did call Eastlink tech support over the disappearance of Angry Birds from her iPad one evening, so not all was well understood.

Jean drove a station wagon like a neighbourhood taxi - if you could squeeze in, she would take you on whatever adventure she was heading off to. And she was game for anything. We enjoyed many road trips to Ingonish camping and Vermont skiing. She organized a cross Canada road trip in 1972, with all of us piled into the station wagon and a pop-up tent trailer in tow. Dad flew back from Winnipeg (apparently preplanned) and Mum brought us home safely, three weeks later. In the 1980’s she flew to Australia to visit Betsy and Tom, and from there did a solo road trip around New Zealand. On her second trip to New Zealand, visiting Jeannie and Ted, she took Dad. She also did the driving through the British Isles with Dad to celebrate their 40th anniversary. At age 75 she did a car and train trip through Europe with her daughters and at 89 she did her last major road trip, through France – this time Trish drove.

Mum loved hosting large gatherings for family and friends, embracing both the joy and the chaos that ensued. She didn’t particularly like cooking – although she was mostly good at it, she burned down the kitchen twice. She was a poor baker for her children – every plate of cookies had a knife to knock off the burnt edges, but she was a master baker for her grandchildren. Today, everyone includes “Grammy’s squares” at their celebrations.

Most of all she was the heart and soul of our family. Together with our Dad, and long after, she was a rock to turn to, a shoulder to lean on, a confidante and the provider of wise and practical advice. She was great at chatting, could find the ridiculous in most things, shared hilarious stories, enjoyed a great laugh and was kind.

She was an exceptional grandmother, developing and maintaining unique and special bonds with each of her 16 grandchildren. She didn’t miss a birthday, graduation, or wedding, often leading the celebrations. She championed their talents and asked eagerly for their news. She was deeply loved, and she will be missed.

In addition to her parents, her husband Lloyd, and her only son Andrew, Jean was predeceased by her sisters, Mary (Fred Walsh), Berwick, NS, and Kay (Don MacLachlan), Nepean, ON;

brothers and sisters-in-law Malcolm Caldwell, Ottawa, ON, James Caldwell, Sydney Mines, NS, George and June Caldwell, Toronto, ON, Quincy Caldwell, Miramichi NB and Elaine Caldwell, Birmingham, AL; nephews and niece Norm MacLachlan, Ottawa, ON, Don MacLachlan, Charlottetown, PE, and Diane MacLachlan, Ottawa, ON.

She is survived by her sister Margaret (Don Wieche), Bend OR, sisters- in-law Lois Caldwell, Nepean ON and Joan Caldwell, Sydney NS; daughters Jeannie (Ted Muggah), Upper Dyke NS, Betsy (Tom Murphy), Lexington KY, Cathy (John Oakes), Osgoode, ON and Trish (Rory Rogers), Halifax NS, daughter-in-law Rhonda Sewell, East LaHave NS; grandchildren Patricia Muggah (Aaron Munro), Dartmouth NS, James Muggah (Sonya Lacelle), Fredericton NB, Beth Muggah (James Pickard), Charlottetown PE, Jenny Muggah (Josh Pickard), Fredericton NB, Shelby Caldwell, New Zealand, Grace Caldwell (Roop Bose), Sioux Fall SD, Alex Caldwell (Michelle), Coldbrook NS, Harrison Caldwell, East LaHave NS, Alison Murphy (Jeremia Mkuki), Lexington KY, Sean Murphy (Ariel Gold-McCoy), Lexington KY, Stuart Oakes, Toronto ON, Sarah Oakes, Toronto ON, Duncan Oakes (Kate Taylor), Hamilton ON, Jillian Rogers (George Warburton), Dartmouth NS, Leslie Rogers, Konstanz, Germany, and Colin Rogers, Dartmouth NS. She took great interest in her six great grandchildren, Emersyn Munro, Vaughn and Vera Muggah and Patrick, Eden and Lila Mkuki, but will miss the arrival of two more in 2023. She also had many nieces and nephews who recall a fun loving, supportive and encouraging aunt.

A celebration of Jean’s life will be held in July 2023, when all family and friends can gather. She would hate to miss it.

The family would like to thank all her homecare workers and the staff on the 10th floor of Northwood Manor. Your care was exemplary. Thanks too, to Tracey Sayer, NS Continuing Care, who supported and guided us for the last three years as we navigated care at home. We were truly blessed to have had you all on Jean’s team. The family would like to thank Trish for her care of Jean over the last three years, and Trish would like to acknowledge and thank Rory, Jill, George, Leslie, and Colin for their invaluable support over that time.

And Mum, everyone who truly knew you will not question the lateness of this obituary.