John Waldrop Caldwell

John Waldrop Caldwell passed away on January 18th at his residence in Clare Bridge in Winter Haven, FL. He was 85.

John was born in Winter Haven on Sept 24, 1923 to Hope Garland Caldwell and Elizabeth (Ralston) Caldwell. He grew up and attended schools in Winter Haven near Lake Eloise. John enlisted in the Army in February 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida and was honorably discharged in March of 1946. During his enlistment John received a Good Conduct Medal, a Victory Medal and an American Theater Ribbon. He attended the University of the South in Sewanee, TN where he was active in the University Theater. John graduated from Sewanee in 1949. It was there he met his future wife, Helena Boellaard in 1950. He and Helena were married in 1953 and had a son, Charles, in 1955.

John was the Chairman of the Department of Theater Arts at both the University of Louisville and the University of South Florida. He was the Co-Producer at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia. He also was the Executive Producer of the Manitoba Theatre Centre and a Broadway producer. He was playwright and author of “Florida Aflame” produced in the Lake Wales Ampitheater in 1953, author of “Mountain Lake-A History” and “Holes in Time”, a biography of Frank Costantino. He was one of the nine founding members of the Kairos Prison Ministry on whose board he served from its beginning until he became its Executive Director in 1985. He was a member of the Renaissance Group of Hilton Head, S.C. He was a former editor of the Daily Highlander in Lake Wales, the St. Cloud News and the Haines City Herald. John was a trustee of the University of the South, Optime Merens, since 1979. He was a long-time parishioner of Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal) in Lake Wales, a lay reader and licensed chalice bearer, former Vestry member and member of numerous diocesan committees. He served 5 years on the diocesan Cursillo Commission. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Theology from the University of the South’s School of Theology for his many years of service to the church and his involvement in prison ministry. At the time of his death, John was working on his final book on the history of the Kairos Prison Ministry.

John is survived by his son, Charles Caldwell and daughter-in-law Heidi Caldwell of Greenwood, California, his first cousin Oscar (Oz) Caldwell of Lake Wales, nieces Beth Caldwell of Cookeville TN and Mary Lou (Caldwell) Jaeger of Jupiter, FL. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helena in October of 2004, his brother Robert Caldwell, and his uncle, Lapsley Caldwell of Lake Wales.

A funeral service for John is planned for Monday, February 2, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at Church of the Good Shepherd in Lake Wales. The Rev. Thomas C. Seitz, Jr. will preside and be the celebrant. Marion Nelson Funeral Home of Lake Wales is in charge of arrangements. Per his wishes, John was cremated and his remains will be placed in the cloister garden at Good Shepherd at the conclusion of the service There will be a reception to follow in the Campbell building across the street from the church, hosted by the Daughters of the King. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Kairos Prison Ministry, Winter Park, FL