My maternal granduncle: Max Waterfield Caldwell b. 13 APR 1912 Lakeport, Lake Co., CA; d. 20 DEC 2004 at home, Soquel, Santa Cruz Co., CA; Interred: 08 JAN 2005; m. 15 AUG 1937 McFarland, Kern Co., CA; Marion Helene Higginbotham b. 01 SEP 1912 Winton, Merced Co., CA; d. Saturday, 6:37 p.m., 21 MAR 2009, at home, Soquel, Santa Cruz County, CA. Both are buried: Oakwood Cemetery, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co., CA.

CHILDREN (living): son, daughter.

PARENTS: Verda Davis b. 21 DEC 1877 Paris, Lamar Co., TX; d. 25 MAR 1970 Fowler, Fresno Co., CA; m. 02 AUG 1899 Santa Barbara Co., CA; Horace Newton Caldwell b. 17 FEB 1867 Shiloh, Hardin Co., TN; d. 23 DEC 1942 Fowler, Fresno Co., CA. Both buried: Fowler Cemetery, Fowler, Fresno Co., CA.

SIBLINGS:

1) Harold Davis Caldwell b. 1901
2) Horace Newton Caldwell Jr. b. 1902
3) Kenneth James Caldwell b. 1905
4) Charles "Chuck" Raymond Caldwell b. 1906
5) Catherine Dixie Caldwellb. 1908
6) Laura Louise Caldwell b. 1909
7) Max Waterfield Caldwell b. 1912 [SELF]

Max and Marion Caldwell were the co-founders of Kennolyn Camp [cut & paste] http://www.kennolyn.com

MAX'S OBITUARY:

January 8, 2005
Kennolyn Camps founder dies at 92

SOQUEL — Max Caldwell had a vision of a summer camp where boys and girls could learn to ride horses, swim and experience primitive living under the redwoods.

In 1946, he and his wife, Marion, founded Kennolyn Camps on Glen Haven Road, a place where thousands of kids called him "Uncle Max." That's where he died of heart failure at 92 years old on Dec. 20, with his wife by his side.

Today, a campfire will be lit at the Caldwell Lodge in his memory, paying tribute to a visionary who cared about kids.

Former state Sen. Bruce McPherson, who grew up with the Caldwell children, described the Caldwells as "classic public servants who cared about the community and made it better."

McPherson will speak at the memorial service, 1 p.m. today, along with Richard Wood, the principal of the Santa Cruz Adult School who worked at the camp when he was in college. People from all over California, as well as Washington, Virginia, Nevada and South Africa are expected to attend.

Born in Lakeport, Caldwell grew up in the Central Valley and graduated from Fresno State with a history major in 1933. He obtained a teaching credential at UC Berkeley and got married in 1937. Both he and Marion were teachers. They had two toddlers when World War II broke out, and Caldwell joined the Navy, serving in the South Pacific.

From his ship, he wrote to Marion: "If I ever get out of this alive, let's start a school or a camp."

Caldwell did survive and he and his wife bought 60 acres in Santa Cruz County for a camp. They built cabins and created programs they described in brochures as "ideal camp life, sports and fun."

At the time, summer camps were an East Coast tradition, and the Caldwells popularized the idea on the West Coast, creating happy memories for thousands of youngsters. Kennolyn expanded to 300 acres, and the Caldwells were recognized as camp pioneers.

Max Waterfield Caldwell BORN: April 13, 1912.
DIED: Dec. 20, 2004.

EDUCATION: Graduate of Fresno State, 1933; teaching credential from UC Berkeley.

OCCUPATION: Founder of Kennolyn Camps in Soquel; before that, was principal at Bay View Elementary School in Santa Cruz and a teacher.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Trustee of Cabrillo College, 1969 to 1975.

RECOGNITION: Chosen as one of the people of the century by Aptos Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Western Association of Independent Camps; Kennolyn Camps named 1995 business of the year by Aptos Chamber.

CONTRIBUTIONS: Max and Marion Caldwell Foundation, P.O. Box 1673, Capitola, CA 95010 or www.caldwellfoundation.org.

SERVICES: 1 p.m. today at Kennolyn Camp, 8400 Glen Haven Road, Soquel.