Norma Jean Caldwell

On Thursday, July 6, 2017, our beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, Norma Jean Caldwell, left this world after a very long and well lived life of nearly 98 years. She was born in San Angelo on August 17, 1919, to Ezra Embry (E.E.) "Hez" Lowe and Mary Bertha (Henry) Lowe. She was proud of her dad, E.E. Lowe, who was named to the SAPD in 1929, and directed traffic at the Chadbourne/Beauregard intersection for 6 years. He was later the Tom Green County Sherriff from 1937-1945, when he chose to retire. On May 25, 1939, Norma Jean graduated from San Angelo Senior High School. She was working at McLelland Stores, Co. in 1941, when Kenneth Caldwell started working there, also. 2 weeks later, they started dating, and eight months later, they were married, on October 4, 1942. Six short months later, Kenneth was drafted into the Army. In 1947, Norma Jean and Kenneth moved to McCamey, Texas. They adopted their daughter, Brenda Kay, as an infant on August 9, 1954. Norma Jean worked at WTU as a bookkeeper/clerk for 30 years, until retirement in 1982. After retirement, she and Kenneth moved to Reno, Nevada for three months, and then moved to the lake in San Angelo in 1983, to be back in their hometown and near their daughter. In 2004, she was so fortunate to discover that she had 2 more daughters that were Brenda's full sisters. She welcomed Katie Bundt Hadrovic and Kristi Bundt Lucchese into her life. While in McCamey, Norma Jean was a member of American Legion Auxiliary, Business & Professional Women's Organization, and the Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. When she returned to San Angelo, she was a volunteer at SACMC for 33 years, from 1984-2017, and was chosen Volunteer Of The Year at one time. She was also a member of the Southgate Church of Christ where she attended. She was an avid league bowler for many years, and talked about her great bowling friends all of the time. Norma Jean is preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Caldwell; parents, E.E. and Mary Bertha Lowe; brothers, Clarence Lowe, who was the 2nd elected SAPD Chief of Police from 1942-1950, Malcolm "Jack" Lowe, and Gordon Lowe; sisters, Leta Lowe Boyd, Mary Ruth Lowe, and Hazel Ollie Lowe; niece, Gayle Lowe, and nephew, Larry Lowe. She is survived by her daughter, Brenda Caldwell Merriman; grandsons, Garrett and Gunnar Merriman; Nephew, Bob Boyd and wife Linda, Niece, Janet Massey and Husband A.C.; nephew, Bill Boyd and wife Earlene as well as many great nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at 10 AM in the Johnson's Funeral Home Chapel, with Paul Shero officiating, and the interment to follow at Fairmount Cemetery. Pallbearers include Bob Boyd, Bill Boyd, Gary Merriman, Paul Prather, Ben Reeves, and Bob Steele. A special thank you to Gary Merriman and his family for always being an important part of her life. Brook Merriman Davis, and husband Tony, their children, Dusty, Madison, Ebony, and Daniel were part of her extended family, she spent many happy times fishing with them. Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson's Funeral Home.