Delores G. Caldwell Risk

Delores G. Caldwell Risk passed away at Mill Pond Health Campus, Greencastle, on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, after a long life shortened by a recent illness.

Delores was born on May 2, 1922 in Flora, Ind., to Gerald and Mary Gladys Quinn Caldwell. She was born to a loving, church-going farm family and was the eldest of six children.

She graduated from Camden High School and then enrolled in the Indiana Business College in Logansport. After graduating from the Business College, she was the head bookkeeper for Carroll County REMC until she quit to go to Seattle, Wash., to marry James A. Risk on Aug. 7, 1942. Jim preceded her in death on Jan. 23, 1999.

At the beginning of her marriage, Delores worked in the office for Pacific Car and Foundry Co. in Washington where they made medium-size tanks for World War II.

After Jim was discharged from the Army in 1945, Jim and Delores returned to Roachdale where Jim taught agriculture, biology, chemistry and science and finished his teaching career at North Putnam High School after the three schools consolidated. After Jim's father died in 1960, Jim, Delores and their four sons moved to the family farm that has been in the Risk family since 1857.

Delores was active in the Roachdale Presbyterian Church, where she was elected and served on the deacon board and elder board several times.

She was active in the Putnam County Extension Homemakers Club organized in 1949, where she held local, county and state offices. In 1978 she was selected by the Indiana Exchange Homemaker to travel to Columbia, South America, where she toured for six weeks, meeting with numerous ladies organizations to tell them about Indiana Homemakers.

One of Delores's many passions was learning how to help those less fortunate and teaching them how to do with what they had available to them.

Delores and Jim led two People to People Agriculture tours to Europe in 1970 and 1974 and visited many countries there. They also traveled to Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and 49 states in the U.S.A. (only Rhode Island was missed).

Like many women of her generation, Delores was a stay-at-home mother who took care of the house, nurtured her sons, was a taxi driver, and chief supporter of all their activities. Delores was a gardener, an excellent cook and loved to feed everyone gathered around the table, but being with family brought her the most enjoyment.

For more than 50 years, she and Jim hosted the Caldwell and Risk families on the farm for Thanksgiving. Early May each year brought the families to the farm for birthday celebrations, hunting mushrooms and sometimes a little fishing. In the summer and fall, Delores and the families played softball games in the barn lot, cranked homemade ice cream and played lots of euchre at every gathering.

Delores is survived by her three sons, Michael L. Risk, Roachdale, James E. (Carol) Risk, Carmel, and Dr. Harold F. (Beth) Risk, St. Cloud, Minn.; six grandchildren; Brad Risk, Jennifer (Tim) Friemann, Kevin (Sara) Risk, Jeff (Bridgett) Risk, Doug (Anne) Risk, and Andrea Moore; 14 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Joyce Caldwell Myers.

Delores was preceded in death by her parents; husband James A. Risk; son John A. Risk who passed away on Aug. 26, 1990; daughter-in-law Lillian Yvonne Gick Risk; brothers Wayne, John and Kenneth Caldwell; and sister Norma Jean Caldwell Blue.

Delores is also survived by 10 nieces and nephews, many friends, one cousin, and a special friend in New Zealand, Yvonne Moore, to whom Delores was her "Indiana Mum."

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at Roachdale Presbyterian Church. Friends and relatives may call from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 at the Roachdale Presbyterian Church and one hour prior to the service. Pastor David Bower will officiate.

Burial will be in Roachdale Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Roachdale Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 189, Roachdale, IN 46172, or the Putnam County Extension Homemakers, 12 Central Square, Greencastle, IN 46135.

Friends may visit www.serviesmorgan.com to view the obituary and leave an online condolence.