Elizabeth (Liz) Caldwell

“Memories are precious, they don’t go away. We think of you always, and not just today”

Liz passed away peacefully in Leighton with her family by her side on 2nd February aged 75 years.  Beloved wife of  Harold and loving mum of Richard and James and in law of Jan and Krystal.  Much loved nana of Jake, Chloe, Libby and Tony and great nana of Tommy, Olivia, Jasper and Alfie.  Loving twin sister of Christine and sister of Derek. She was a friend to many and will be fondly remembered  very sadly missed.

Liz’s funeral will take place at Crewe Crematorium Chapel on Thursday 22nd February at 13.45.

Donations in memory of Liz will be gratefully received for the A & E Unit at Leighton Hospital.

For further details please call  01270 584447

We celebrate the life of Jane Elizabeth Caldwell, lovingly known as Liz by all who had the pleasure of knowing her over the years.

A devoted wife to Harold and a doting mum to Richard and James, adoring nana to  Jake, Chloe, Libby, Tony and Chloe-Mae and great nana to Tommy, Olivia, Jasper, Alfie and Renesmay.

Together for fifty-six years after a whirlwind romance and married for fifty-four happy years, Harold truly counts his blessings.  They enjoyed their life together in a relationship based on love, devotion, trust, respect and true friendship.  Liz was his soulmate and retired in her late forties to focus on his care.

Happy, outgoing, loyal, confident and the lads lovingly called her the Spartan Queen, because she was tough and fearless, brave enough to do two microlight flights – once over Marshfield Avenue and she has been known to get up on the roof.  She once saw some workmen in the street, borrowed the ladder and offered one of them £5 to put a roof tile straight.  A fiver!!!! But she was obviously very persuasive because he did go up and do it!

Looking back at her character, she was a remarkable lady who would do anything for anyone.

Born and brought up in Crewe, Liz started life at Jackson Street and eventually attended West Street Infants and Juniors then finished her education at Ludford Street School.

Derek was the middle of five siblings, their older brother Billy and sister Jean are sadly no longer with us.  Liz and her twin sister Christine were the youngest.  They had very little money for luxuries back then but they were all very close as youngsters.  There was no heating, in fact there was an army blanket on the bed for extra warmth and a coal fire if there was enough money for coal.

Liz was always a happy child in a close and safe community with lots of friends playing out in the streets from morning til teatime, or after school, games like hopscotch, skipping, playing catch, bouncing balls against the walls to rhymes like dip dip dip, my blue ship, sailing on the water like a cup and saucer O.U.T spells out!

The whole street would go off for walks together down to the canal and even swim in it.  Thankfully Liz passed all her swimming certificates although she would never swim in the sea.

All the kids would be gone for the day and look out for each other especially when scrumping pears and apples off the trees, they learnt to run quick when they were spotted, and they knew to get home before dark or risk a clip round the ear.  Kids had sugar butties or syrup butties if you were posh!

After leaving school, Liz started work at the Co-op sewing factory and has had various jobs over the years to fit round the family including a small sewing company off Western Lane, she was a fully skilled, hardworking mum and housewife for several years, she became a dinner lady and has cleaned but for many years she worked at Goddard Street Sheltered Accommodation.

Harold can recall how they first met, he had seen her out and about with her friends several times but the night they got together he first saw her in the Rifleman and seized his chance by finding out where she was going next and it was to nightclub so of course he followed on.  Love at first sight.

Initially they lived with Harold’s mum Maud at 72 Marshfield Avenue Richard was welcomed into the world followed by James and they moved to their forever home at number 65 when he was around six months old, when you think about it, they council should have called it Caldwell Street!

The lads remember they had lovely family holidays travelling by train to parts of the UK, particularly Scotland and Wales.  When the lads were older Liz took up rambling, and Gill told me they were members of the Rolls Royce rambling Club.

Their holidays abroad started with a trial flight to Dublin, then their travels began to places like Cyprus, Rhodes, Benidorm and they drove to France.

Liz really loved life as each of the grandchildren came along.  They didn’t need to go to Blackpool to see the illuminations, Liz created her own wonderland at the back of the house and an impressive display of Christmas lights at the front.  Harold used to say the planes would be landing soon thinking it was a runway and when the batteries started going – the flickering was like a light show!

Liz was a keen gardener; she loved her flowers and was immensely proud to win an award for the best garden in the street.