CALDWELL, Martha Bernice

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona - Published Tuesday, March 22, 2011 - Martha Bernice Caldwell was embraced by Jesus as she entered her heavenly home Sunday afternoon, March 20, 2011, at the age of 87. She was born April 19, 1923, to Lewis and Ester White in Grant County, Ind. Martha, the middle of three girls, grew up on the family farm during the Depression era. She remembers the day the old farmhouse got electricity. She and her sisters ran around to every room to turn on all the lights and marvel in this new wonder. After high school, she worked at the Owen Illinois Factory and saved her money. She then went to beauty school and eventually opened her own beauty shop in Gas City, Ind. She married Clifton Spence and had two daughters, Susan and Decie. In 1967, she packed up her family in a huge U-Haul and moved to Lake Havasu City without ever having been here. When she turned off onto the old Highway 95 she thought, “Oh, what have I done?” But once here, she fell in love with the young city and made a wonderful life for her family. Martha went to work at the Nautical Inn where she faithfully worked as a waitress for 30 years. She often told people she didn’t believe in job-hopping or church hopping. She married Aloysius Caldwell in 1971. Martha was active at Lake Havasu Baptist Church. She served for many years as a Deaconess meeting the needs of others. She was the chairman of White Cross. She spent hours sewing “love bags” that were filled with toiletry items, coloring books, and crayons and then sent to children in Mexico. She also kept busy making and knotting quilts to send to Native American ministries. Every Christmas, she loved filling shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. Martha was named “Woman of Grace” at Lake Havasu Baptist. She was given the award for being a grace-filled woman who always cared about others and had a servant’s heart. She loved Jesus and was an awesome example for others to follow. Martha is survived by two daughters, Susan (Gary) Wolf, and Decie (Mike) Riggins; eight granddaughters, Nanette Wolf, Tami (John) Albers, Jennifer (John) Desper, Julie Thayer, Autumn Riggins, Bethany (Moussa) Walio, Rhaanon (Curtis) Watson, and Sarah Riggins; and two great-grandsons, Nicholas Desper and Cayden Watson; sister, Ruth (Gerald) Bole; and brother, Burl (Betty) White. She was preceded in death by husband, Aloysius; and sister, Elizabeth Marshall. Martha was never afraid of hard work. She is remembered by all who knew her as sweet, loving, compassionate, caring, nurturing, faithful and full of grace. She will be deeply missed. Funeral services will be at Lake Havasu Baptist Church, Saturday at 2:30 p.m., Pastor Mike Moorhead officiating. A fellowship dinner will be served afterward. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Operation Christmas Child at www.samaritanspurse.org. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to Martha’s family at www.lietz-frazefunralhome.com. Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home & Crematory.