Obituary

Caldwell, J.R. (Jake), Mrs. (Rena Beth Anderson Barnes Blakney)

Rena Beth A. Caldwell, 94, beloved Mother and Wife, was called to her eternal resting place on March 11, 2017. She entered this world on October 5, 1922 in Plainview, TX, born to Elmer Roscoe and Susan Golda Anderson. She is survived by her children Frank Laurel Barnes III, Robert Anderson Barnes and Susie Barnes Campbell; 8 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Her father Elmer Roscoe Anderson; mother Susan Golda Anderson and sister Golda Glynn A. Turner preceded her in death as did her husband J.R. (Jake) Caldwell. A native and long time resident of Plainview, TX, she moved to Warrenton, VA in 2004 to be near her family. She was an active Lifetime PTA member serving as President several years, she was also active in the Elks Lodge, the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and the Presbyterian Church as well as the LPA (Little People of America) with her daughter. She retired as the Vice President of Customer Service at Sunbelt Savings and Loan in 1988. Her joy in life was her faith, her family, travel and various hobbies. She will be buried in the Plainview IOOF Cemetery in the family plot. A graveside memorial service celebrating her life will be held during the summer of 2017.Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer?s Association - www.alz.com

An Extraordinary Life For An Ordinary Woman Our mom had an extraordinary life for an ordinary woman, wife and mother. She was born the youngest of two daughters of two amazing parents. Her father who rode the cattle drives as a chuck wagon cook at 14, later living in a dirt dug out cabin on a ranch and a mother who arrived in Texas in a cover wagon from Arkansas and rode a one horse buggy to teach in a one room school house. Her parents provided the foundation of her life values. Growing up as a young girl during the Great Depression she learned the value of money and the importance of relying on family to survive hard times. I do believe our mom could go shopping with one dollar and return home with clothes for us kids and still have 94 cents in change. Many would say she was cheap or frugal, we say she was wise with money and passed that trait to us. She would save everything, saying that you never know when you might need it. In her late teens WWII became a reality and she met our father in her early 20?s. He was in flight training near the town where she lived. They got married and she followed him all over the United States to various bases while he was in training. Although the war was raging to hear her tell of these times it was an exciting adventure. After the war she became a typical housewife, home maker and mother. She never had a lot of money but raised us kids in a life rich with family and memories. She was loving but expected respect and discipline and would not hesitate to use a switch if any of kids misbehaved. We all got our fair share of switches and none of us have any emotional scars from getting disciplined. Our vacations consisted of trips to visit our grandparents or her sister and our cousins. To us these trips were grand adventures equal to a visit to an exotic land. As things in her life came and went, she never complained about her situation or asked for anything. She simply relied on her faith in God to provide and He always did. She survived 3 husbands, our father was a divorce situation and he passed away a few years after the divorce, she re-met a high school friend and married him and he passed away after 19 years of marriage, she then met and married a man getting to spend 19 years with him before he passed away. She never had a harsh word for anyone and enjoyed meeting everyone who crossed her path. She will always be loved by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.