CALDWELL, Rilla

(Maiden Name: Lewis)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ January 16, 2009 Rilla Lewis Caldwell of Lakeside died Jan. 9, 2009, at Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Show Low. The fifth of eight children to William Henry and Nancy (Whipple) Lewis, she was home delivered by her grandmother Emma Whipple, a midwife, Dec. 21, 1923. She grew up in Show Low and graduated from Snowflake Union High School. Rilla married James T. Caldwell in 1946. They spent the rest of their life together in Lakeside. They owned Caldwell's Market in Lakeside for many years. She served on the school board and worked for years as a teacher's aide. She was a member of Daughter's of the Utah Pioneers. Rilla loved to garden, crochet, sew, tole paint and make quilts and afghans for her family, especially for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a gracious and loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. She was a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loved serving in many callings as a primary teacher (30 years), primary president, Relief Society president, stake librarian and many others. Rilla is survived by her husband of 62 years, James T. Caldwell; four children, Sylvia (Bruce) Rowell of Show Low, Ronnie (Jim) Bunker of Chino Valley, Rodney (Glenna) Caldwell of Barnwell, Alberta, Canada, and Stephen (Tobey) Caldwell of Lakeside; 19 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; sisters, Hilda Frost of Tempe and Viola Reed of Snowflake. She was preceded in death by her brother, Willard, and sisters Ella McCleve, Marbry Vance, Doris Rogers and Mildred Turley. Funeral services will be held in the Pinetop-Lakeside Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1520 Church Lane, Saturday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to services. A visitation will also be held Friday, Jan. 16, at Owens Livingston Mortuary-White Mountain Chapel from 6-8 p.m. Interment will be in the Lakeside Cemetery. Owens Livingston Mortuary of Show Low handled the arrangements.

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Posted by Sharla on January 14, 2011

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