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James D. Caldwell's Story
1927-2025
James Dudley Caldwell, Sr died peacefully on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Community Medical Center. He was surrounded by his loving family and friends, who sent him off to heaven with whispers of love and prayers. He wanted to take his Segway, but we were able to convince him that it would not be needed there.
Jim had a long and blessed life. He was born in Linden NJ on January 26, 1927, to James and Edna Caldwell, raised in Carbondale Pennsylvania, and spent summers with his Aunt Mary and Uncle Charlie in Toms River, NJ. He had many stories about playing hide and seek with his cousins in the old graveyard on Hooper Avenue, and of swimming in the Toms River, where they would take turns breathing underwater with an overturned bucket on their heads. This, of course, would later come in handy in Jim’s career path.
Jim joined the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served on the Underwater Demolition Team during the second World War, helping to clear explosive devices from waterways and seas. After leaving the navy, he settled in Toms River, where he would start his businesses, Ocean County Diving and Caldwell’s Diving Company. He traded in that old bucket for a diving helmet and found success working hard and doing what he loved. His career included rescue, recovery, underwater wreckage salvage, cable laying, mapping, dredging and more.
“No” was not a word in Jim’s vocabulary; he was a generous and caring man, always looking for an opportunity to help family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. He had many philanthropic endeavors but would also just show up to help whether asked to or not. He liked to take action and get dirty, always working outside or on a project in his work room. He was still active at 98 and in the middle of several projects when he left for the hospital a few weeks ago.
It was not easy keeping him safe as he aged, but he loved life and lived it well. Jim was a true gentleman and a rare gem, a loving father and adoring husband. He will be deeply missed by his children, Stephan and his husband William, Sharon, Beth and her husband Phil, and Gina and her husband Sal, by his grandchildren Tonya, James, Peter, Lindsay, Philip, Nicholas, Jessica, Christian, Matthew, Thomas, Joseph, and Julia; by his sixteen great-grandchildren and his many nieces and nephews. Jim is predeceased by his parents James and Edna Caldwell, by his first wife Mahala and his second wife, Marion, and by his son James.
Services for Jim will be held at the Carmona Bolen Funeral Home at 412 Main Street, Toms River on Tuesday May 27th from 12:00pm to 4:00 pm and from 7:00 pm until 9:00pm. There will also be a viewing at the funeral home on Wednesday, May 28 from 10:00 am until 12:00pm, which will be followed by a prayer service with Jim’s pastor. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Above and Below, Caldwell’s Diving Museum at 82 East Water Street, Toms River, NJ 08753. They can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at (908) 910-3314. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James, please visit our floral store.
1927-2025
James Dudley Caldwell, Sr died peacefully on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Community Medical Center. He was surrounded by his loving family and friends, who sent him off to heaven with whispers of love and prayers. He wanted to take his Segway, but we were able to convince him that it would not be needed there.
Jim had a long and blessed life. He was born in Linden NJ on January 26, 1927, to James and Edna Caldwell, raised in Carbondale Pennsylvania, and spent summers with his Aunt Mary and Uncle Charlie in Toms River, NJ. He had many stories about playing hide and seek with his cousins in the old graveyard on Hooper Avenue, and of swimming in the Toms River, where they would take turns breathing underwater with an overturned bucket on their heads. This, of course, would later come in handy in Jim’s career path.
Jim joined the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served on the Underwater Demolition Team during the second World War, helping to clear explosive devices from waterways and seas. After leaving the navy, he settled in Toms River, where he would start his businesses, Ocean County Diving and Caldwell’s Diving Company. He traded in that old bucket for a diving helmet and found success working hard and doing what he loved. His career included rescue, recovery, underwater wreckage salvage, cable laying, mapping, dredging and more.
“No” was not a word in Jim’s vocabulary; he was a generous and caring man, always looking for an opportunity to help family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. He had many philanthropic endeavors but would also just show up to help whether asked to or not. He liked to take action and get dirty, always working outside or on a project in his work room. He was still active at 98 and in the middle of several projects when he left for the hospital a few weeks ago.
It was not easy keeping him safe as he aged, but he loved life and lived it well. Jim was a true gentleman and a rare gem, a loving father and adoring husband. He will be deeply missed by his children, Stephan and his husband William, Sharon, Beth and her husband Phil, and Gina and her husband Sal, by his grandchildren Tonya, James, Peter, Lindsay, Philip, Nicholas, Jessica, Christian, Matthew, Thomas, Joseph, and Julia; by his sixteen great-grandchildren and his many nieces and nephews. Jim is predeceased by his parents James and Edna Caldwell, by his first wife Mahala and his second wife, Marion, and by his son James.
Services for Jim will be held at the Carmona Bolen Funeral Home at 412 Main Street, Toms River on Tuesday May 27th from 12:00pm to 4:00 pm and from 7:00 pm until 9:00pm. There will also be a viewing at the funeral home on Wednesday, May 28 from 10:00 am until 12:00pm, which will be followed by a prayer service with Jim’s pastor. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Above and Below, Caldwell’s Diving Museum at 82 East Water Street, Toms River, NJ 08753. They can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at (908) 910-3314. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James, please visit our floral store.