Raymond Don Caldwell

Raymond Don Caldwell, 72, a beloved father and grandfather, passed away from complications related to a heart attack on December 5, 2024, surrounded by his family.

Raymond was born on September 26, 1952, in Provo, Utah to Don and Verna Caldwell. He graduated from Kearns High School in 1970. After high school, in 1971, he prepared for and served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Mexico North Mission, Spanish-speaking. 

After returning from his mission, Raymond joined a single adult choir, where he noticed a beautiful woman named Kathie Woolley, the pianist accompanying the choir. After a four-year courtship, Raymond married Kathie in the Salt Lake Temple on April 12, 1978. Music became an important part of their relationship, with Raymond singing and Kathie playing the piano. The couple initially lived in Sandy, Utah, before moving to South Weber, and most recently, Raymond made Bountiful, Utah his home.

Raymond and Kathie were married for nearly 33 years. He became widowed in 2011 after Kathie fought a brave seven-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. Together, they were blessed with six children: Jason, Mark, Amy, Jenny, Matthew, and Heather. Raymond had a particularly special bond with their youngest daughter, Heather, who tragically passed away in 1990 at the age of two and a half due to complications from her congenital heart defect. This loss was devastating for Raymond and the entire family. Throughout his life, Raymond was comforted by the blessings of the gospel and the knowledge of eternal families.

Raymond obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of Utah in 1985. Later, he attended Brigham Young University (BYU), completing his Master of Accountancy in 1986. Despite attending both schools, he remained a loyal BYU fan. As a first-generation college graduate, he has always valued his education and helped make it a priority for his children and now his grandchildren.

Raymond took pride in his work. He is known for his exceptional work ethic which he developed as a young boy while helping his family as janitors for the church. As an adult, he worked for nine years at the Utah State Prison in various roles, including Correctional Officer, Sergeant, and Lieutenant. He then became a Deputy Constable, responsible for serving arrest warrants, all while attending college and supporting his young family.

After completing graduate school, he began his career as a Tax Accountant at Touche Ross, which is now known as Ernst & Young. For many years he ran his own business, Caldwell Tax & Accounting, where he found joy in providing tax services to family and friends. For 27 years, he worked as a Financial Manager at the Utah Department of Workforce Services and retired in 2021. Throughout his career, he was known as a respected leader and valued his relationships with his team.

Raymond was a devoted family man who cherished spending time with his loved ones and upholding traditions with his grandchildren. Notable traditions included the Great Pumpkin, Easter egg hunts, and Fourth of July festivities. Throughout his life, he enjoyed golfing and was lovingly considered the "Founder of Dad Jokes" by his children. 

Raymond had a beautiful tenor voice and participated in various choirs, which made family outings turn into lively sessions of carpool karaoke. He was an avid reader, immersing himself in books by authors like Uris, Grisham, and Baldacci. A talented cook, he found joy in preparing delicious meals for both his family and staff; among the crowd favorites were his Dutch oven potatoes and smoked meats. This passion and skill for cooking were passed down to his children and grandchildren.

Raymond also had an impressive candy stash and was always willing to share. In his retirement, he pursued photography and fly fishing, enjoyed attending plays and musicals, and fulfilled his lifelong dream of traveling to and fishing in Alaska.

Raymond was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout the years, he served in various capacities, but his favorite callings were as the ward and stake financial clerk, and most recently a Temple Ordinance Worker at the Bountiful, Utah Temple.

Surviving are his children: Jason (Rachael), Mark (Kim), Amy (Justin) Beecher-Fitzpatrick, Jenny, and Matthew (Stephanie), as well as his siblings: Steven (Joelyn), Susan (Steven) Berg, Bryce (Danna), Don (Theresa), and Deann (Carl) Jensen. He is also survived by eight grandsons and six granddaughters, who were his pride and joy, along with many in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathie, in 2011; his daughter, Heather, in 1990; his parents, Don and Verna Caldwell; his father and mother-in-law, W. Grant and Clarice Woolley; as well as brothers-in-law Desmond Woolley and Glenn Martin, and both grandparents.

We would like to express our appreciation to Bountiful EMS and Lakeview Hospital for the expert care they provided to Raymond and for the support they offered our family.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 13th, at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary, located at 1950 E. 10600 S., Sandy, UT 84092. Family and friends may attend the viewing on Thursday, December 12th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. or on Friday, December 13th, from 10:00-10:45 a.m. at the mortuary. The interment will take place at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery.

Those wishing to view the service via Zoom can click "Watch Service" or follow the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/sPzesbt4NO8phq_Li3JVJxne9WpHlniNfMyqLlwxXPY4u7BFhtgQY9I4snfcZFyv.UPS1v_1k0UDl1-g8?startTime=1734111667000