Roma Alene Caldwell went to be with her Lord January 13, 2023, at Parkview Care Center Osborne, Kansas. She was born on August 3, 1921, in the Crystal Plains area in Smith County, Kansas. Roma was the 8th of 10 children born to William (Bill) and Emma (Barcus) Pletcher.
Roma began her education in the Crystal Plains one-room schoolhouse. She graduated from Portis High School with the class of 1940. In 1941, she married her high school sweetheart, Junior Caldwell. Soon after they were married, Roma, and later DeeAnna, their first daughter, accompanied Junior after he enlisted in the army during WWII. They traveled to numerous military bases throughout the country and made many lifelong friendships. In addition to DeeAnna, two more daughters were born to their union, Linda and Carol. Together they celebrated 77 years of marriage on April 27th, 2018, before Junior went to be with the Lord in August of that same year.
As a young woman, Roma realized her need of a Savior and accepted Jesus and was baptized at the Portis Grace Brethren Church. She wanted to grow in her faith and have a close personal walk with Christ, so she completed the four year Menninger Bible Study Series. She loved the Lord, and served in ministry for many years at the Grace Brethren Church as a Sunday School teacher. Roma developed a deep desire to support ministry and the spread of the Gospel through Women’s Missionary Council (WMC) and listening daily to programs on Christian Radio.
Roma took great pride and worked diligently at being a homemaker and farm wife. She always had a large thermos of fresh coffee ready for Junior as he went out to work in the field, and hot meals ready when he returned for dinner. Roma was a gifted gardener, and loved flowers, some of her favorites being iris, roses, daffodils and tulips. Her yard was her crowning achievement, with weeds vanquished as soon as they appeared. She continued to mow her own lawn into her mid-nineties.
Roma was proceeded in death by her loving husband, Junior, her parents, Bill and Emma Pletcher, all nine of her siblings and her son-in-law Scott Noel.
She is survived by her daughters, 7 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren: DeeAnna (Dave) Neely, Hazel Green, Alabama, and daughters, Deirdre Close and sons Samuel and Zachary; Dereka (CJ) Addis and children Ethan and Justine; Linda (Brent) Doane, Portis, and daughters, Julie Scarbrough and children Ben, Maddie, Lily and Avery Pruden; Laurie (Bruce) Wimberly and children Elise, Carter and Garrett; Carol Noel, Portis, and son Jasson (Heather) Noel and children Reese and Jaxson, and daughters Megan Hild, and children Dominic and Danica; and Ashley (Adam) Bedient and children Scottie, Huntlie and Jeffrie. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Ginger Pletcher and will be missed by numerous nieces and nephews and a host of family and friends.
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