Changes

==Political life==

==Political life==

Weddington was formerly employed by the firm Kinetic Concepts owned by her fellow San Antonio Republican James R. Leininger (born 1944), who was a major donor to Governor Perry, other Republican candidates, and [[conservative]] causes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texastribune.org/2011/08/26/who-perry-supporter-james-leininger/|title=Who is James Leininger?|date=August 26, 2011|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref> A [[Christian]] conservative [[Activism|activist]], Weddington became interested in politics as the mother of a teenaged son visiting the Texas State Capitol in [[Austin]]. Her particular interests at the time were education and product liability laws, which had caused her problems in her own business.<ref name=chairstarrole>{{cite web|url=http://madmax.lmtonline.com/textarchives/072900/s6.htm|title=Texas GOP chair has star role|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref>  

Weddington was formerly employed by the firm Kinetic Concepts owned by her fellow San Antonio Republican James R. Leininger (born 1944), who was a major donor to Governor Perry, other Republican candidates, and [[conservative]] causes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texastribune.org/2011/08/26/who-perry-supporter-james-leininger/|title=Who is James Leininger?|date=August 26, 2011|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|accessdate=March 18, 2015}}</ref> A [[Christian]] conservative [[Activism|activist]], Weddington became interested in politics as the mother of a teenaged son visiting the Texas State Capitol in [[Austin]]. Her particular interests at the time were education and product liability laws, which had caused her problems in her own business.<ref name=chairstarrole>{{cite web|url=http://madmax.lmtonline.com/textarchives/072900/s6.htm|title=Texas GOP chair has star role|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref>

In 1990, Weddington in 1990 placed a black wreath that read “Death to the Family” at the door of the campaign headquarters in Austin for the successful [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] gubernatorial nominee,  [[Ann Richards]], the departing state treasurer who that year defeated Republican [[oil]]man Clayton Wheat Williams, Jr. (1931-2020), of [[Midland]]. A strong Williams supporter, Weddington placed a black wreath that read "Death to the Family" at the door of Ann Richards's campaign headquarters in Austin. At the state Republican convention that year, she participated in a prayer rally and called upon the Almighty to "watch over the caucus rooms and the convention hall."<ref>{{cite web|url=​https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/20/1500105/-Texas-Gov-Ann-Richards-She-represented-inclusion|title=Texas Gov. Ann Richards: 'She represented inclusion'|publisher=''The Daily Kos''|author=Denise Oliver Velez|date=March 20, 2016|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

In 1990, Weddington in 1990 placed a black wreath that read “Death to the Family” at the door of the campaign headquarters in Austin for the successful [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] gubernatorial nominee,  [[Ann Richards]], the departing state treasurer who that year defeated Republican [[oil]]man Clayton Wheat Williams, Jr. (1931-2020), of [[Midland]]. A strong Williams supporter, Weddington placed a black wreath that read "Death to the Family" at the door of Ann Richards's campaign headquarters in Austin. At the state Republican convention that year, she participated in a prayer rally and called upon the Almighty to "watch over the caucus rooms and the convention hall."<ref>{{cite web|url=​https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/20/1500105/-Texas-Gov-Ann-Richards-She-represented-inclusion|title=Texas Gov. Ann Richards: 'She represented inclusion'|publisher=''The Daily Kos''|author=Denise Oliver Velez|date=March 20, 2016|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

In 1997, Weddington was unanimously elected state chairwoman by the Republican State Executive Committee to succeed conservative Tom Pauken of [[Dallas]], who resigned after three years in the position to run, unsuccessfully as it developed, for state attorney general.<ref name=laj/> She was Pauken's choice as his successor. For part of her tenure, the vice chairman was the conservative author and activist David Barton (born 1954).<ref name=zoominfo/> The post ultimately went to [[John Cornyn]], now the long-serving senior [[U.S. Senator]] for Texas. Weddington held strength from both the religious conservative wing of her party and the fiscal conservatives as well. Chuck Anderson, then the executive director of the [[Christian Coalition]], described Weddington as "very, very well respected by members of the party from all ideological stripes." In 2000, Republicans held 1,600 of the approximately 4,000 elected offices in Texas but all statewide offices. Weddington said that she was determined to bring the party to long-term majority status, with particular emphasis on the state legislature.<ref name=chairstarrole/>​

In 1997, Weddington was unanimously elected state chairwoman by the Republican State Executive Committee to succeed conservative Tom Pauken of [[Dallas]], who resigned after three years in the position to run, unsuccessfully as it developed, for state attorney general.<ref name=laj/> She was Pauken's choice as his successor. For part of her tenure, the vice chairman was the conservative author and activist David Barton (born 1954).<ref name=zoominfo/> The post ultimately went to [[John Cornyn]], now the long-serving senior [[U.S. Senator]] for Texas. Weddington held strength from both the religious conservative wing of her party and the fiscal conservatives as well. Chuck Anderson, then the executive director of the [[Christian Coalition]], described Weddington as "very, very well respected by members of the party from all ideological stripes." In 2000, Republicans held 1,600 of the approximately 4,000 elected offices in Texas but all statewide offices. Weddington said that she was determined to bring the party to long-term majority status, with particular emphasis on the state legislature.<ref name=chairstarrole/>

In 2002, Weddington broke with tradition as state chair when she became involved in a heated Republican [[primary]] for a state Senate seat in San Antonio. One of her predecessors as chairman, [[Fred Meyer]] of Dallas, had pointedly refused to become involved in such primary races but stood with the [[general election]] nominees regardless of policy positions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20120924-fred-meyer-businessman-who-helped-lead-gop-to-dominate-dallas-politics-dead-at-84.ece|title=Fred Meyer, who built the  Dallas and Texas GOP into dominant force, dies at age 84 |publisher=''The Dallas Morning News''|author=Gromer Jeffers, Jr., and the [[Moderate Republican]] incumbent Jeff Wentworth for the District 25 seat. A strong [[abortion]] supporter, Wentworth, nevertheless won once more but was unseated a decade later in the 2012 Republican primary by conservative challenger [[Donna Campbell]], a [[physician]] from [[New Braunfels]] in Comal County.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kolten Parker|title=New Sen. Campbell emphasizes conservatism|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/New-senator-emphasizes-conservatism-4147849.php#photo-3700942|publisher=''San Antonio Express-News''|date=December 27, 2012|accessdate=December 27, 2012}}</ref>​

In 2002, Weddington broke with tradition as state chair when she became involved in a heated Republican [[primary]] for a state Senate seat in San Antonio. One of her predecessors as chairman, [[Fred Meyer]] of Dallas, had pointedly refused to become involved in such primary races but stood with the [[general election]] nominees regardless of policy positions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20120924-fred-meyer-businessman-who-helped-lead-gop-to-dominate-dallas-politics-dead-at-84.ece|title=Fred Meyer, who built the  Dallas and Texas GOP into dominant force, dies at age 84 |publisher=''The Dallas Morning News''|author=Gromer Jeffers, Jr., and the [[Moderate Republican]] incumbent Jeff Wentworth for the District 25 seat. A strong [[abortion]] supporter, Wentworth, nevertheless won once more but was unseated a decade later in the 2012 Republican primary by conservative challenger [[Donna Campbell]], a [[physician]] from [[New Braunfels]] in Comal County.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kolten Parker|title=New Sen. Campbell emphasizes conservatism|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/New-senator-emphasizes-conservatism-4147849.php#photo-3700942|publisher=''San Antonio Express-News''|date=December 27, 2012|accessdate=December 27, 2012}}</ref>

When she stepped down as state chairwoman in 2003, her party had gained a firm footing on major political offices in Texas. Weddington for six years then headed the OneStar Foundation, a [[non-profit organization]] formed by Governor Perry to connects such organizations with resources and expertise to accomplish their missions and to promote  volunteerism.<ref name=onestar>{{cite web|url=http://www.faithworksconference.com/speakers/susanweddington.html|title=Susan Wedding President/CEO OneStar Foundation|publisher=faithworksconference.com|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref><ref name=zoominfo>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/person?personId=1182705&targetid=profile|title=Susan Weddington|publisher=zoominfo.com|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref> She was succeeded as chairwoman by another woman, Tina Benkiser, a lawyer from [[Houston, Texas|Houston]].​

When she stepped down as state chairwoman in 2003, her party had gained a firm footing on major political offices in Texas. Weddington for six years then headed the OneStar Foundation, a [[non-profit organization]] formed by Governor Perry to connects such organizations with resources and expertise to accomplish their missions and to promote  volunteerism.<ref name=onestar>{{cite web|url=http://www.faithworksconference.com/speakers/susanweddington.html|title=Susan Wedding President/CEO OneStar Foundation|publisher=faithworksconference.com|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref><ref name=zoominfo>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/person?personId=1182705&targetid=profile|title=Susan Weddington|publisher=zoominfo.com|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref> She was succeeded as chairwoman by another woman, Tina Benkiser, a lawyer from [[Houston, Texas|Houston]].​

She had a son, Sean Ernest Caldwell (1972-2018), and three grandchildren from her first marriage to Ernest L. "Ernie" Caldwell, Jr. (1947-2015), a native and lifelong resident of San Antonio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/san-antonio-tx/sean-caldwell-7724913|title=Sean Ernest Caldwell|publisher=dignitymemorial.com|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref><ref name=mothersobit/>​ Her husbands died three months apart. Since her second husband's death, she returned to San Antonio.

She had a son, Sean Ernest Caldwell (1972-2018), and three grandchildren from her first marriage to Ernest L. "Ernie" Caldwell, Jr. (1947-2015), a native and lifelong resident of San Antonio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/san-antonio-tx/sean-caldwell-7724913|title=Sean Ernest Caldwell|publisher=dignitymemorial.com|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref><ref name=mothersobit/>​ Her husbands died three months apart. Since her second husband's death, she returned to San Antonio.

==References==

==References==