Marie Caldwell

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Geneva “Marie” Dixon Caldwell July 17,1930 – May 2, 2020

“A mother wears many hats during the years of raising her children. And while she takes off those hats one-by-one as they grow and mature, there is one that will always remain – the hat of a mother who prays.”

Valiant prayer warrior, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, Marie Dixon Caldwell, 89, went home to be with the Savior she loved so deeply, May 2, 2020 in Clinton, TN. She was born July 17, 1930 in Wekiwa, Oklahoma, the daughter of Troy and Lela Tucker Dixon. She was raised in Osage and graduated from Osage High School in 1947. She was united in marriage to Boyd L. Wheeler September 29, 1947 until 1965. In 1972 she married Everett Caldwell. Both preceded her in death.

Marie was a member of Cleveland First Assembly of God Church for many, many years. She loved traveling, playing the guitar, gardening, boating, fishing and her all-time love - singing gospel music. She was a volunteer at Cleveland Nursing Home, singing for the residents each week for 15 years and sang in various churches in the area. From 1961-1964 she was restaurant manager for F. W. Woolworth Co., in Riverside, CA. Returning to Cleveland the summer of 1964, she was a waitress and cook at the old Ward’s Restaurant in Cleveland. In the early 70’s she became known as “the lady mechanic in Cleveland” and the first woman to attend both Evinrude/Chrysler Advanced Outboard Motor Schools in Dallas and Plano, TX respectively. Boaters from around the state would come to her to get their boats repaired. The Sept/Oct 1973 edition of ‘The Crew’s News’, a publication of Chrysler Corporation Marine Products, said, “Marie is a supremely competent member of that traditionally male fraternity of maintenance technicians.” In today’s language, we could say she broke the “glass ceiling” for women in that field! Additionally, she also loved being a “rock hound”, collecting rocks from Western states she visited. She learned to cut, grind and polish the rocks she had collected making rings, bracelets, necklaces, belt buckles, etc.

Marie worked for Glasrock Home Health Care from 1981-1991 in Tulsa and Dallas, TX respectively. Upon returning to Cleveland from Dallas, she worked at a home health care business in Cleveland and for Chapman Black Funeral Home before relocating to be with her daughter and son in law in 2008.

Survivors include her daughter, Gloria Wheeler Hall, son in law Tom, 6 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and numerous great great-grandchildren. Two sisters, Bonnye Upshaw, Cleveland, OK, June Cooke, Madison Heights, VA, brother in law, Andy Flores, Cleveland, OK and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her son, Gary Lee Wheeler, a granddaughter, Lela Wheeler, 2 brothers, Buck Dixon, Kenneth Dixon, and a sister, Shirley Flores.

Services will be Thursday, May 7, 2020 - 10:30 at Woodland Cemetery, Cleveland, Oklahoma.

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