Nathaniel A.
Caldwell
Friends, family pay respects to fallen soldier
Family
members, friends and fellow soldiers gathered Wednesday at the
25th Street Chapel for a memorial service to honor a fallen 4th
Infantry Division soldier.
Spc.
Nathaniel A. Caldwell, 27, of Company B, 404th Aviation Support
Battalion was killed Wednesday in Baghdad, Iraq, when his Humvee
rolled over while he was responding to a civilian call.
Caldwell
was born Nov. 18, 1975, in Omaha, Neb., to Nathaniel Caldwell
Sr. and Marion Brooks.
Friends
and family took turns to tell their stories of how Caldwell
touched their lives with his smile.
Pfc.
Yelixa Matos-Mawhorr had a prepared statement. In tears, she
abandoned it to speak directly from her heart.
“I will
always remember standing in formation,” Matos-Mawhorr said. “He
always stood behind me and it was funny because he was so much
taller. He would always tease me about being so short.”
Matos-Mawhorr said Caldwell was a positive influence who never
became angry or said a cross word to anyone.
“I’m proud
to have known a true hero who gave his life for his country,”
Matos-Mawhorr said.
Caldwell
is survived by his wife, Amanda of Copperas Cove, his son,
Donovan, and daughter, Endira.
Amanda
Caldwell said she and Nathaniel had been married six months.
“It was
the best six months of my life,”
Caldwell
said. “I appreciate people from work speaking about him. I never
knew what he was like at work. At home, he was sweet and gentle.
He was a polished angel.”
Marion
Caldwell of Dallas declared her son was “right with the Lord
from the day he was born.” She told stories of growing up,
playing sports and dealing with life’s problems to become a
special man.
His
younger brother, Robert Caldwell of
Junction City,
Kan.,
recalled their leisure time together.
The sport
his brother loved to play the most was basketball, Robert
Caldwell said..
“The thing
I will remember most is Nate forcing me to play full-court,
one-on-one basketball,” he said. “I don’t know why, he just
loved basketball.”
The Rev.
Rodney Howell officiated. He noted Caldwell and his wife were
new members at the church.
“He would
come early to services and tell me about his aspirations and how
his path was leading toward the ministry,” Howell said. “I
wasn’t ready for him to go. Listening to his friends and family,
they weren’t ready for him to go. Listening to Nathaniel, he
wasn’t ready to go. But he was prepared to go. He took the time
to prepare his life.
“That is
what we take comfort in knowing Nate was right with Jesus and
prepared,” Howell said.
