Mary Emma Caldwell

Mary Emma Caldwell Mary Emma Love was born on December 3, 1937 in Wagoner, Oklahoma to Johnnie Ella and Freddie Love both from Oklahoma. Both of her parents preceded her in death. Mary was one of 9 children, 4 girls and 5 boys. Mary was the fifth eldest child of the nine children. It was in Wagner, OK as a child that Mary accepted Christ and began her Christian journey. Mary and her siblings resided in Wagner for two decades. She was born into a musically inclined family and it was during this period of growing up that she discovered her love of music and singing. Mary and her siblings, Herbert, Charlesetta, Irene, Donald and Anna began singing in church choirs and Gospel groups at early ages. The Love family relocated to Frederick, OK in 1954, where Mary graduated from Boyd High School in the year of 1955. Soon after graduating Mary left home at the early age of eighteen and moved to Lawton, Oklahoma. It was there she met and married her first husband, Sgt. Joe Nelson East, Jr. The couple spent five years living in Germany and that union produced her one & only child, a son named Lenard Nelson East. The East family returned from Germany in 1963 and settled in Lawton, Oklahoma where Joe was stationed at Fort Sill Military base. By this time Mary’s siblings and parents had relocated to Lawton as well. Her mother, Johnnie Ella Love and siblings, Charlesetta, Irene, Anna and Donald Love all resided there. The eldest son, Herbert Love remained in Frederick, Oklahoma. The Love family has always been a close knit family and tends to follow each other. Mary joined Union Baptist Church in Lawton where she sang in the choir and served on the Mission society Board for many years. Mary discovered a passion for helping the less fortunate; the homeless, mentally ill, abused, neglected and voiceless and forgotten persons, as well as children. Mary was a mentor to many younger women. She could be counted on to help anyone in need. Mary took in a young female teenager by the name of Bonnie Dixon (daughter), who remains a part of her family to this day. Following her divorce in 1971, Mary and her son moved north to Tacoma, Washington. In Washington State Mary worked as an Operating Room Technician at Fort Lewis Military Base. She united with Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church where she sang in the choir and was known as “that woman who can sang”. It was there that she accepted the call of God and became an ordained Evangelist and Missionary. Mary saw the many needs in the inter-city communities and was moved to start feeding, clothing and praying for the homeless on the downtown streets in front of the Tacoma Rescue Mission. She eventually founded The Phoebe House, a shelter for women and children in distress. Phoebe House was the first of its kind in Tacoma. She wanted to provide a place where women could keep and stay with their children upon release from incarceration. It was important to Mary that families remained together whenever possible. The Phoebe House grew to include three separate facilities housing fifty women and their children. Mary was instrumental in changing women’s lives, giving them a second chance and introducing them to the Word of God. After twenty plus years as The Founder and Executive Director of The Phoebe House, Mary retired. She received many acknowledgements, awards, and accolades for her good work. In 2006 Mary married the Reverend Edward V. Caldwell. The couple moved to Maricopa, AZ in 2007 where Reverend Edward Caldwell rarely left his wife’s side. Mary quickly united with Mt. Moriah Community A.M.E. Church, Pastor Sherolyn Curry and Pastor Arnold J. Jackson. Mary is survived by her husband, Reverend Edward Caldwell; her son, Lenard East; Daughter-in-law Brenda East; Granddaughter; Taliah Johnson, Grandsons Julius East and Ulysses East, Great Granddaughter Ava Johnson, Siblings Charlesetta Williams, Anna Wofford, Donald Love and countless Nieces, Nephews, friends and loved ones too numerous to name them all.

Mary Emma Caldwell

December 3, 1937 - September 12, 2015