Anne Frances (Freeland) Caldwell

Anne Freeland Caldwell died January 15, 2022 at age 93 after a brief illness. Born on January 28, 1928 in Laconia, TN, she attended a one room schoolhouse until the fourth grade, when they moved to “the city” (Somerville.) She attended Fayette County High School (where her newspaper byline was “Frilly Freeland”), was a graduate of Stephens College and then attended College de Bouffemont near Paris, France. She was an elder as well as President of the Women of the Church at Idlewild Presbyterian in Memphis.

Her year abroad after Stephens instilled in her a love of travel and she served as President of Friendship Force Memphis where she and her husband Walt were founding members in 1982. Their home was open to foreign guests from dozens of countries over the years which was a great pleasure to them. They traveled the world to over 30 countries, often with beloved friends Tom and Mary Salvate. She was an avid reader and loved to read tour books aloud to anyone within earshot. Her quick wit and singular laugh were well known. In her last years she became a prolific poet, with most of her poems focusing on her faith and the afterlife.  And she was a diehard Memphis Grizzlies fan.

She was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Freeland.  Her husband Walter E. Caldwell, Jr. preceded her in death in 2007.  She leaves three children, John W. Caldwell, Betsy Lewis (Jim) and Mary Kay Caldwell (Beth); three grandchildren, Ginny Watson (Darrin), Simon Caldwell (Cristina) and Emily Maupin (Richard); and two great grandchildren, Harper and John.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Caldwell were held at 1 P.M. Friday, January 21, 2022 at Somerville First Presbyterian Church. A private interment was in the Union Cemetery at Laconia.

The family requests that donations may be made to Union Cemetery Association, c/o Harry Wiles, 403 Charleston Street, Somerville, TN  38068.