Caroline DeSaussure "Dessie" Anderson Caulfield, 94, of Water Valley, died at her home, March 28, 2011. Born in Centreville in 1916, Mrs. Caulfield was a daughter of the late Oliver May and Caroline DeSaussure Haman Anderson. A graduate of Water Valley High School and Belhaven College, she worked at the Field-Cooperative Association in Jackson, and worked for the Treasury Department and the General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C. She was a member of the American Legion Ladies' Auxiliary. She worked as clerk of the Selective Service System for many years, taught school two years, and was librarian for the Water Valley Public Library and Blackmur Library for several years. An active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Water Valley, she played the piano, taught Sunday School, directed the choir, and was a former President of the Women in the Church. She was honored in 2000 with the Church Service Award from Belhaven College. A member of the Red Hat Ladies and the Literary Club, she enjoyed singing, playing the piano, reading, working in her flowers, exercising, playing bridge, and visiting with friends. Her favorite activity was writing poetry. She was a charter member of the Mississippi Poetry Society and served as President in 1988-1989. She received honors for her poetry on the local, state, and national levels, having recently received the Edward B. Shearer, III Award for Artistic Achievement from the Water Valley Arts Council. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Poetry Society in 2005. She published a book of poetry, Goblet of Dreams, in 1998, co-edited the 75th anniversary anthology of the Mississippi Poetry Society, Magnolia Heart Strings in 2002, and a second book will be published in the summer, Mother of My Love.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, March 30, 2011 from 6:00 PM until 8:00PM at Seven Oaks Funeral Home in Water Valley, MS. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at First Presbyterian Church of Water Valley with Rev. Harold Spraberry, Rev. William L. Mosal, and Rev. Richard Wiman officiating. Interment will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery with Clay Ashford, Barry Caulfield, Lloyd Caulfield, Rob Hembree, Jeff Hughes, Jeff Sheets, and Anthony Wade serving as pallbearers. Elders of First Presbyterian Church, John Ashford, Aaron Baddley, J. K. Baddley, Jim Bowles, Clyde Herron and Ersel King will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Mrs. Caulfield is survived by a son, James Barron ( Elizabeth) Caulfield, Jr., of Water Valley, two daughters, Mary Alice (Jim) Patterson, of Waxhaw, N.C., and Dorothy Helen (Richard) Wiman, of Belzoni. She has eight grandchildren whom she adored: James Barron "Barry" Caulfield, III and Lloyd Leland Caulfield, of Water Valley, Bethany Summers (Rob) Hembree, of Madison, Elizabeth Grace (Jeff) Sheets, of Indian Trail, N.C., Margaret Jeanne Patterson, of Charlotte, N.C., Ruth Wiman (Jeff) Hughes, of Belzoni, Joy Elizabeth (Louis) Steenkamp, of Pretoria, South Africa, and Lindsay Caroline (Anthony) Wade of Long Beach, MS, and two great grandsons, Brett and Ty Hughes, and a great granddaughter on the way, and two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Helen Simpson of Memphis, and Mrs. Lela Anderson, of Clinton, and a host of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Caulfield was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 52 years, James Barron Caulfield, Sr., a brother, Oliver May Anderson, Jr., and a sister Mary Adelaide Anderson Steele.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 590, Water Valley, MS 38965 or French Camp Academy, One Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745-9700.