Bessie Lee Mayes Caldwell

Mrs. Bessie Lee Mayes Caldwell was born on October 11, 1923, in Greenville, South Carolina, to the late Jessie Mayes and Lydia Whatley Mayes. She was married to the late James Rufus Caldwell, God blessed their union with seven children.

She joined the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church at a early age and continued to be an active member until her health declined.

One of her hobbies has always been gardening and on any given day you would find her outside working with her flowers. Most importantly, she enjoyed time with her family.

On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, while slumbering and peacefully resting, she received her angel wings. “Our Mother,” the family matriarch, is survived by her children three daughters, Carolyn Lasenbery of Piedmont, Shirley Neely of Greenville, and Janice Bush of Greenville; four sons, Michael A. (Janice) Caldwell of Greenville, Steven A. Caldwell of Greenville, B. Keith (Patricia) Caldwell of Simpsonville and James T. (Chefonda) Caldwell of Greenville; one sister, Juanita Watson of Baltimore, MD; and one brother, Melvin (Shirley) Mayes of Greenville; she was blessed with eleven grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; eleven great-great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Lorean Caldwell and Mrs. Cora Caldwell; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two grandsons, Jeffery Lasenbery and Remarque Young; three brothers, Willie Mayes, Jessie Mayes, Jr., and Calvin Mayes; three sisters, Annie Evans, Hazel Todd and Betty Sue Sherman.