Changes

==Background==

==Background==

Caldwell was born in Dardanelle in Yell County in west central [[Arkansas]] to Reece E. Caldwell (1912-1971) and the former Oval Ermice Greene (1914-2000). He attended the first eleven years of school there but finished his senior year at Central High School in Tulsa. In 1958, he obtained a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in general studies from the Church of Christ-affiliated Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas. He received a [[Master of Science]] from [[Southern Methodist University]] in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], and pursued doctoral studies at the private University of Tulsa but did not complete the terminal degree. He was called to the ministry in 1956 . As a state senator, he was the  minister at the Southside Church of Christ in Rogers in Benton County in northwestern Arkansas. By happenstance, he began after-dinner speaking before various church and civic groups. For eight years before his return to Arkansas from Oklahoma, Caldwell served on stand-by in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. He and his wife, the former Laferne Muller, have four daughters.<ref name=statement>Statement of James Ray Caldwell, [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]], April 2010</ref>

Caldwell was born in Dardanelle in Yell County in west central [[Arkansas]] to Reece E. Caldwell (1912-1971) and the former Oval Ermice Greene (1914-2000). He attended the first eleven years of school there but finished his senior year at Central High School in Tulsa. In 1958, he obtained a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in general studies from the Church of Christ-affiliated Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas. He received a [[Master of Science]] from [[Southern Methodist University]] in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], and pursued doctoral studies at the private University of Tulsa but did not complete the terminal degree. He was called to the ministry in 1956 . As a state senator, he was the  minister at the Southside Church of Christ in Rogers in Benton County in northwestern Arkansas. By happenstance, he began after-dinner speaking before various church and civic groups. For eight years before his return to Arkansas from Oklahoma, Caldwell served on stand-by in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. He and his wife, the former Laferne Muller, have four daughters.<ref name=statement>Statement of James Ray Caldwell, Tulsa, [[klahoma]], April 2010</ref>

==Arkansas legislative politics==

==Arkansas legislative politics==

==Later years==

==Later years==

   

   

Caldwell did not seek reelection in 1978 and was succeeded by the Democrat, later Republican convert, Kim D. Hendren] of Gravette in Benton County.<ref>Kim Hendren (born 1938) is a brother-in-law of former U.S. Senator [[Tim Hutchinson]] and former U.S. Representative [[Asa Hutchinson]]. Hendren himself lost a bid in 2010 for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.</ref> At some point thereafter, Caldwell, like legislative colleague [[George E. Nowotny, Jr.]], of Fort Smith, relocated to Oklahoma, and their paths never crossed while both were residing in Tulsa. Each lost contact with former colleagues in Arkansas.<ref>Statement of James R. Caldwell, [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]], April 2010; Statement of George Nowotny, Jr. of Tulsa, June 2009</ref> Stricken with Parkinson’s disease, Caldwell in 2010 was writing an autobiography of his ministry and political career entitled ''Behind Closed Doors.''<ref name=statement/>

Caldwell did not seek reelection in 1978 and was succeeded by the Democrat, later Republican convert, Kim D. Hendren] of Gravette in Benton County.<ref>Kim Hendren (born 1938) is a brother-in-law of former U.S. Senator [[Tim Hutchinson]] and former U.S. Representative [[Asa Hutchinson]]. Hendren himself lost a bid in 2010 for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.</ref> At some point thereafter, Caldwell, like legislative colleague [[George E. Nowotny, Jr.]], of Fort Smith, relocated to Oklahoma, and their paths never crossed while both were residing in Tulsa. Each lost contact with former colleagues in Arkansas.<ref>Statement of James R. Caldwell, Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 2010; Statement of George E. Nowotny, Jr. of Tulsa, June 2009</ref> Stricken with Parkinson’s disease, Caldwell in 2010 was writing an autobiography of his ministry and political career entitled ''Behind Closed Doors.''<ref name=statement/>

In 2003, Caldwell was honored at a dinner by then Governor [[Mike Huckabee]] for Caldwell's role in sponsoring legislation during the 1970s to expand the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock.<ref name=statement/> Journalist Douglas Smith, formerly of the ''Arkansas Gazette'', described Caldwell as “liberally-minded. I thought highly of him."<ref>Statement of Douglas Smith, Little Rock, Arkansas, December 12, 2011</ref>   

In 2003, Caldwell was honored at a dinner by then Governor [[Mike Huckabee]] for Caldwell's role in sponsoring legislation during the 1970s to expand the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences at Little Rock.<ref name=statement/> Journalist Douglas Smith, formerly of the ''Arkansas Gazette'', described Caldwell as “liberally-minded. I thought highly of him."<ref>Statement of Douglas Smith, Little Rock, Arkansas, December 12, 2011</ref>