Another member of the Roughnecks state semifinals football team of 1957 has passed away. James Bramlitt Caldwell Jr. died May 17, 2025, in San Angelo at the age of 85. A graveside funeral service at the Santa Anna Cemetery was held earlier today, Saturday, May 24, 2025, as family and friends said their final farewell to their beloved Jimmy.
The 1958 graduate of West Columbia High School, which then was located on the campus where Heritage Hall and Republic Plaza is today, was born February 27, 1940, in Conroe, Texas, the son of James Bramlitt Caldwell Sr. and Chloe Rhoades Caldwell. Longtime West Columbians will remember Jimmy’s parents as the couple that owned and operated Caldwell’s Pharmacy in downtown West Columbia for many years. Jimmy and his younger brother, Elwood Russell Caldwell, followed in their Daddy’s footsteps by both becoming pharmacists themselves. Elwood assumed the pharmacist duties at Caldwell’s Pharmacy, which was located near where Walgreen’s is now, following the death of his father.
The obituary posted in newspapers by Stevens Funeral Home of Coleman, Texas, said that Jim Caldwell “graduated with honors from West Columbia High School in 1958 where he excelled in academics, weightlifting, football, track and band. Jim furthered his education at the University of Texas earning a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1962, as well as being a member of the football and track teams his freshman year, and the weightlifting team throughout his college career.”
As a student at West Columbia High School, Jimmy Caldwell was in the band all four years and made All District band his first three years in high school. He was a class officer and Junior Rotarian and served on the annual staff his senior year. He played baseball for the Roughnecks as a freshman and sophomore, tennis his freshman year and basketball as a sophomore. Jimmy was on the Roughnecks track team his last three years and was co-captain his senior year when he joined Bill Danford, James Parkhurst and Kenneth Boone running the 440-yard relay at the district track meet. Parkhurst qualified for the state track meet in 1958 where he finished second in the 100-yard dash and third in the broad jump in Austin.
He was a running back for the Roughnecks on varsity his junior and senior years at West Columbia High School in 1956 and 1957. Coaches E.S. Golson, Marvin Gray and Holmes Ellisor led Caldwell and the other Roughnecks to the Class 2A state semifinals in 1957 where they lost to Brady High School 20-6, finishing as quarterfinal champions and one victory shy of reaching the state championship game. Quarterback Eugene Maroul and center-linebacker Dennis Gaubatz, who had a successful NFL career with the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Colts, were both All State selections in 1957.
Jim Caldwell married Linda Rhea Riley on October 15, 1964, at the First Methodist Church in Santa Anna, Texas. He first crossed paths with Linda at a high school marching band contest. Jim played trumpet for the West Columbia High School marching band. He set eyes on Linda while she was performing as drum major for the Santa Anna Mountaineers, telling his band mates, “That’s the girl I’m going to marry.” Years later they met for the first time in a pharmacy class at UT in Austin, and the rest is history!
Jim’s enduring legacy as a beloved community figure began when he and his wife Linda moved to Coleman, Texas, and purchased Cross Pharmacy in 1968. This was the beginning of a long and happy career as a community pharmacist. They later purchased Owl Drug Store in 1977 and Tyson Pharmacy in 2017. Jim transformed Owl Drug Store into a cherished destination for local townspeople and visitors from afar. His warm personality and kindness forged countless friendships over the years. His newspaper obituary reads: “He was an exceptional pharmacist and businessman who also generously served as a resource for pharmacists and independent pharmacies regionally and throughout Texas.
“Jim was a registered pharmacist in the State of Texas for 63 years maintaining an active status with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy from 1962 throughout his lifetime. In 2012, he was awarded a Certificate of Special Recognition by the TSBP acknowledging his 50 years of long-standing service in the Pharmacy profession. He was recently recognized by the National Community Pharmacists Association for 50 years of membership as a testament to his commitment to independent pharmacy, which he loved.”
Jimmy Caldwell had a lifelong passion for all sports and, in particular, weightlifting. He held many state and national titles and records as a champion powerlifter, along with being the third strongest man in the world in his weight class at one point during his powerlifting career.
He was an Eagle Scout, a proud lifetime Coleman Bluecat Booster, and served on the Board of the Coleman Chamber of Commerce for many years. One of his favorite hobbies was rebuilding and customizing high-performance cars, especially Mopar hot rods. He was known to drag race and even win a few.
Jim Caldwell is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Linda Caldwell, of Coleman, Texas; his daughter, Cathy Allen and husband Zac of Coleman; his son, Jim B. Caldwell and wife Kelli of Arlington; several grandchildren, Riley Caldwell and wife, Bethany, Trevor Caldwell and wife, Nathalie, Garrett Caldwell and fiance, Mahan Karimi, Morgan Petty and husband, Braden, and Abigail Allen; and great-grandchildren, Louie Caldwell and Addison York; and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Joe and Susie Riley.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Joe Riley Caldwell, and his younger brother, Elwood Caldwell of West Columbia.
Jim Caldwell will be remembered for his loving, giving spirit and his impact on the lives of those around him.
