May A. Caldwell

Biographical sketch

May Alice Wing Caldwell was born in Worthington in 1921 to Charles and Harriet Putman Wing, both U.S. Army veterans of World War I. May's early years centered in Worthington, where she played organ for St. John's Episcopal Church. She graduated from Worthington High School in 1939, and attended The Ohio State University starting her junior year of high school, with the goal of becoming a neurosurgeon. At OSU, she met her husband, Elmer Caldwell. From January 1944 through January 1946, while Elmer served in World War II, she lived with her parents and infant son, and Elmer joined them when he returned from the war in November, 1945. For two years following the war, she and Elmer lived near The Ohio State University and ran the Village Restaurant in Columbus, until Elmer was recalled for active duty in 1948, when May again moved in with her parents and her sons Harold and Curtis. From May 1951 to March 1952, May and her sons lived at 51 Selby Boulevard in Worthington, while Elmer served in the Korean War. After the war, she and her children followed Elmer to his deployments around the world, including Japan, Germany and Hawaii. She was known for her generosity and interest in connecting with other cultures; her obituary states, "May took seriously her role to represent America and to bridge cultures by learning languages, studying local culture and history, and making friends off-post." 

A genealogical note about her name: following her marriage, on legal documents, checks and personal correspondence, May signed her name "May W. Caldwell" and not "May A. Caldwell."