Our dear Edward Vanhoffen Caldwell Jr. was the first of eleven children born to Inez Waiters and Edward V. Caldwell Sr. on September 1, 1929 in Columbus, South Carolina.

Edward met his wife Virginia Jones Caldwell in Staten, Island, New York and they were married in 1950. They are the parents of 8 children, Robin, Gail, Dale "Norman", Joy, Edward "Rocky", Sandra, Mark, and Kimberly; 20 grandchildren; and they were also blessed with great and great-great grandchildren.

Edward proudly served in the United States Army from 1952 – 1974. He moved his family to Washington State in 1971. In 1980 Edward founded the Great I Am Baptist Church.

Edward was a magnificent man that possessed a beautiful and strong soul. May he sail on! He will truly be missed until we meet again.