Meredith Caldwell III

Meredith "Duck" Caldwell, III, devoted husband, father, and grandfather was born June 9, 1944 in Nashville and died in Nashville on January 5, 2024.

His parents were Mary Walton Wright Caldwell, of Los Angeles, and Meredith Caldwell, Jr. of Nashville. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara Broome Caldwell and his brother and sisters Edith Montague Caldwell, Walton Caldwell Akers, Rogers Clark Caldwell II, and Ellen Thomas Caldwell.

Duck attended Overbrook School, Parmer Elementary School, The Webb School, and graduated from Hillsboro High School and then attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. As a young teenager, Duck worked at the Nashville Union Stockyards and later served in the Air National Guard of Tennessee and The Reserve of the United States Air Force.

He had always wanted to be a stockbroker, started his career at J.C. Bradford & Co., and fell in love with the business. He adored working in finance and adored working with his clients and coworkers. He was active well past retirement age and was Senior Vice President at Morgan Stanley.

Duck changed a diaper once. It went poorly and he retired from that game. That said, Duck was a fabulous, affirming father and was very, very proud of his children: Barbara Marion Caldwell and Meredith Winston Caldwell, his daughter in law, Margaret Patrick Caldwell, and his grandchildren Meredith Patrick Caldwell and Charlotte McKinne Caldwell.

He made a mean old fashioned and killer martini. He was the acknowledged World Master of blue cheese dressing, and for decades reveled in making it. He was a club man, and enjoyed Belle Meade Country Club, of which he was a past president, Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, and The Brook in New York City. When Duck arrived, the party started.

He was known as Mr. Belle Meade and had a trophy to prove it. He loved fine dining, traveling, and dining while traveling... his idea of roughing it was staying at a Holiday Inn. He also loved taking naps, laughing, going for walks, and especially, golfing with his buddies. He adored his family and his legion of friends. Everybody loved Duck. What was there not to like?

He loved fine, pretty things and had the Caldwell eye for excellent design. Right now, Duck's up in heaven, fluffing pillows and straightening lampshades.

Visitation was held at First Presbyterian Church's Courtenay Hall on Wednesday January 10, at 10:00 a.m., followed at 11:30 by funeral services in the Sanctuary. Burial followed at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers will be all the friends he loved so dearly.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the charity of your choice.