Obituary

Visitation will be held on June 23, 2023 at Braden Park Baptist Church from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. followed by the funeral services starting at 2:00 p.m.

Interment will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Zoa Alberta Caldwell was born in the middle of a blizzard February 10, 1916 in a one room log cabin on the family farm just south of Mulhall, Oklahoma and went to her heavenly home on June 11, 2023 in Owasso, Oklahoma.    Alberta was the oldest of eight children born to Albert A. Merkle and Dahlly Schaal Merkle.  She attended all twelve years of schooling in Mulhall schools.  Shortly after high school graduation, she attended Washburn University in Topeka Kansas where she obtained a teacher’s certificate.   Alberta taught in a one room school house for several years in rural Kansas teaching eight grades of school and also acting as janitor.  After teaching she spent almost two years in Baltimore Maryland to be close to her brother who was in Walter Reed Army Hospital as a result of World War II.

Alberta returned to Oklahoma and met her future husband, Jack B. Caldwell while working at Civitan in Oklahoma City.  Jack and Berta were married June 15, 1946 at the First Methodist Church in Mulhall, Oklahoma.  Two daughters were born to their union, Donna L. Caldwell Jantzen and Holly J. Caldwell DeBoer.  They raised their two girls in Cushing Oklahoma and then moved to Tulsa in 1969.

Alberta loved the Lord and she and Jack were active in church in every town they resided.  Alberta taught many Sunday School classes through the years and helped with many other church activities.   She and Jack spent their senior years active in Braden Park Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Alberta delighted in singing with her siblings and nieces and nephews, gardening, cooking and reading, but most of all she delighted in her family and her Lord.   Alberta and Jack were super proud of their daughters and their spouses, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Family gatherings when the entire family was gathered together were cherished.

Alberta was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Caldwell, her parents, Albert and Dahlly Merkle, her siblings and spouses, Charles Merkle, Violet Merkle, James Merkle (Alpha and Mary), J.D. Merkle (Cora), Herbert Merkle (Wilma), George Merkle (Mildred) and Richard Merkle (Dorothy).  She is survived by her daughters and spouses, Donna and Rick Jantzen and Holly and Chuck DeBoer, her grandchildren, Brad Bobo (Amy), Anndrea Jeane, Regan Jantzen (Jeni), and Carla Moreland (Michael) and her great grandchildren, Alexys Finley, Kyler Finley, Ramsey Jantzen, Morgen Jantzen, Elliott Jantzen, Ryann Bobo, Bryce Bobo, Grace Moreland, Zoe Moreland and a host of other family and friends.