Earl Norman Caldwell, M.D.

Earl Norman Caldwell, M.D. age 90 of Highland Park passed away on Thursday, August 3, 2023 at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Illinois. He was born July 1, 1933 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the union of George and Emma Lou (Crenshaw) Caldwell. Beloved husband of the late Mildred M. (Gaines) Caldwell on January 6, 2004. 

Earl joined R.O.T.C. in high school and continued through his college days at the University of Pittsburgh where he pledged to Alpha Phi Alpha.  He met and married Mildred M. Gaines while attending the University of Pittsburgh and the couple started their family. He was commissioned as officer in the U.S. Army was sent to the Royal Air Force Mildenhall Base in Suffolk, England where he had the opportunity to study at Cambridge University. After he returned to the states, Earl enrolled in Howard University Medical School and graduated as a physician in 1962.

Dr. Caldwell’s medical practice included a residency in Anatomical and Clinical Pathology at the NY Veteran’s Administration Hospital, teaching residents at Northwestern, Director of Laboratories and Chief Pathologist at Garfield Park Hospital, and health commissioner and medical examiner for the City of Gary, Indiana. Additionally, he opened a private medical practice which included a medical laboratory where with his wife, a Medical Technologist, the pair served an underserved community on the south side of Chicago, providing not only medical care, but also performing anatomic and clinical pathology examinations.

Before retiring from the military, Dr. Caldwell attained the rank of Colonel, and was sent to Honduras for training for tropical medicine. He trained as a military Flight Surgeon, earning him the moniker “Copter Doctor.” In addition to his training via the military, Dr. Caldwell kept abreast of developments in medicine with his annual attendance to the National Medical Association summer conferences, which became a favored vacation break for his children.
Earl loved watching sports, particularly ice hockey, listening to the radio (especially the Chicago News). He was a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins, the Cubs and White Sox, and the Chicago Bulls, Bears and Blackhawks. When living in New York, he attended New York Rangers hockey games with Mildred and one of his four children who rotated to attend the hockey game with him. He adopted the same practice after moving to the Illinois where, as a season ticket holder he attended Black Hawks games with one of his children.

Among the things he enjoyed were spoiling his grandchildren with trips to 7-11 for Slurpees, taking a ride in his new car, spending time with his family, and reading the Sunday paper, especially the Sports Section. He instilled in his family the importance of being together and taking care of one another. He loved celebrating his birthday with his family. We are blessed to have shared his 90th together!

Survivors include his children Mysti Butler (Michael), Barbara Aboagye (Nana), Andria Wilson (Carson), Duane Caldwell (Maxine), and Earl Caldwell, II; Grandchildren Antennian DeCarlo; Sorenia Anderson (Eric); Robert DeCarlo; Sarah Miller (Christopher); Malayna and Blake Butler; Nathanael, Matthew and Christopher Caldwell;  Great-Grandchildren Annjelyze DeCarlo-Anderson; Damiyen and  Xendreya Anderson; Aria DeCarlo; many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 50 years, Mildred; a grandson Antonio M. DeCarlo, II; two brothers Col. James Caldwell and Eugene "Oddie" Caldwell and a sister Barbara Smith.

Visitation Friday, September 8, 2023 from 11:00 A.M. until time of funeral service at Noon at the Seguin & Symonds Funeral Home, 858 Sheridan Road, Highwood. Interment and military honors will follow at 1:00 P.M. at Fort Sheridan National Cemetery, Highwood.

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