William Harold Caldwell

WAYNESVILLE, NC William “Bill” Harold, Caldwell, 88, passed away Sunday, January 25, 2015, after a long illness. Bill was born in coal mining country near Bluefield, KY, a son of the late Polly and Ace Caldwell. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and was stationed in Occupied Japan where, unfortunately, he contracted TB and spent the next 2-3 years in Oteen VA Hospital in Baltimore, N.C. He loved country music which led to his becoming the hospital’s radio station DJ. This is also where he met his future bride while she was there square dancing for the troops. He became a prison guard where he not only worked his way up to the warden of Craggy State Prison but was regarded as tough as nails but always fair with all his prisoners. He was called in many times after moving to a minimum security prison back to Craggy to settle prisoner uprisings. He retired after a long successful career with the Department of Corrections at Hazelwood Prison. He lived most of his life in Waynesville, N.C., where he helped raise two daughters who were the joy of his life. Surviving are his daughter, Lynda Gayle Gandy (Jeff) of Columbia, S.C.; two grandsons, William Brian Green of Camden, S.C. and Matthew Charles Green (Whittney); two great-granddaughters, Jenna Eden Green and Aubrey Ann Green of Florence, S.C.; his niece, Glenda Alexander (Alex) of Greenback, TN. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife of over 25 years, Annette Burch Caldwell and his daughter, Teresa Ann Green (Charles). A funeral service with military honors will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, January 29, 2015, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. The family will receive friends from 2 until 3:00 p.m. prior to the service. A private graveside service will be held in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Waynesville, N.C. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Regency Hospice, 140 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 130, Columbia, SC 29210.