Pat was born October 30, 1925, in Hudson, Wisconsin, to Philip C. and Bertha (Petersen) Caldwell. He graduated from the Roberts High School in 1943. In 1945, he entered the United States Army, where in 1946 while serving his country, he traveled by ship for 30 days to and from occupied Japan where he was a teletype repairman, which at the time was the only communication that could not be decoded by the enemy. Following his time in the service, he returned to the States and moved to the Canton area to farm with his parents. On June 21, 1952, he married the love of his life Mary Florence Snyder at the Assumption Catholic Church of Canton; they made their home and resided in Canton until their deaths. To this union six children were born, Phil, Cindy, Debra, Scott, Dorothy and Mary. He had done many things over the years including shoveling coal, driving school bus, hauling milk, 20 years as a partner in a Shell Oil business, 33 years as a Pioneer Seed salesman, a carpenter with Tate Construction, and lastly his most passionate, life-long work of farming the land.
He was a member of the Assumption Catholic Church in Canton, the American Legion, and served on the Canton Fire Department, Canton City Council, and the Assumption Church Council and lay ministry. He enjoyed dancing, bowling, fishing, hunting, taking money from his card-playing friend, growing his famous tomatoes and woodworking. He was well known for the picture frames he made and was very honored and proud to have been recently selected to make the frames for the architectural drawings of the Veteran’s Cemetery that now reside in the Fillmore County Courthouse.
Pat was a man of “many” words and had the gift of gab; he could and would socialize with anyone and everyone. He enjoyed having a good laugh and sharing a “fishing tale or two.” As stated by a friend recently, “If you didn’t know him and you met him, by the end of the night you would hate to say goodbye.” He loved his family dearly and over the years his family had grown to include many friends who we called “the adopted children and grandchildren.” His circle of love was huge, as was his heart.
Pat passed away unexpectedly Sunday, December 28, 2014 at his home at the age of 89.
Pat is survived by two sons, Phil (Bev) of Abita Springs, Louisiana, and Scott of Lakeville; three daughters, Cindy (Ross) Duckett of Canton, Dorothy (Pete) McKernan of Harmony, and Mary (Marvin) Kuhn of Mabel; 14 grandchildren, Patrick, Stephen (Gretchen Guderian) Caldwell, Deb (Gene) Johnson, Teresa (Jake) Hershberger, Josh Thelemann, Samantha and Zach Caldwell, William, Maggie and Molly McKernan, Stephanie (Tom) Feldman, Lindsey (Nick Bohr), Mitchell and Ryan Kuhn; Six great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; siblings Charlotte Nickelson of Eagan, Shirley Hegtvedt of South Carolina, and Frank (Joanne) Caldwell of Eagan; and sister-in-law Joanne Caldwell. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary, his daughter Debra, his parents, his brothers Mike, Dick and Dave and an infant sister Mary-Jane.
Funeral Mass will be held at 11 AM Wednesday, December 31, 2014, at the Assumption Catholic Church in Canton, Minnesota with Msgr. Paul Heiting officiating. Visitation will be at the church in Canton from 4 – 8 PM on Tuesday, December 30, with a prayer service at 7:30 PM. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the funeral service.
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