Dan Ross Caldwell

Dan Ross Caldwell entered this world on September 24, 1950, born to Doris Standifer Caldwell and Charles Don Caldwell in Chattanooga, TN. Dan played among Chattanooga’s hills and creeks until he moved with his family to Lenoir City, TN in 1960. Dan was always a bright light, prone to ask too many questions in Sunday school as a child, and growing to fearlessly grapple with the world’s nuanced realities from a place of curiosity and compassion.

 Dan enrolled at UTK in 1969 and graduated with a B.A. in Religious Studies. Never shy of hard work, Dan built the foundations of his adult life by taking on jobs in masonry, carpentry, and farming as he earned his college degree and wooed Sylvia “Sissy” Hartley, whom he would marry on June 9, 1972. As he completed his UTK course work, Dan was offered his first job in the mental health field at Wrights Ferry Farm in 1972. He was recruited to join the therapeutic team at Peninsula Hospital in 1974, and continued to learn all he could about the era’s cutting-edge mental health modalities through reading and conferences. He implemented and directed a thriving Adjunct Therapy department at Peninsula, including all activity and art therapy. He was ultimately promoted to serve as director of the Adult Program at Peninsula Hospital.

 In 1989, a recovering alcoholic named Bill Hood approached Dan with a vision of creating an addiction treatment center that would prioritize a Twelve Step focus on spiritual principles alongside evidence-based therapeutic modalities. Thus was born Cornerstone of Recovery (COR), a healing community which Dan served for 26 years. COR thrived as a beacon of hope-focused and community-centered treatment under Dan’s leadership as President and CEO for 22 years. Although his accomplishments are too numerous to name here, it can be remembered that Dan’s leadership proved visionary, innovative, courageously compassionate, and boldly hopeful. With wit and humor, he had a knack for bringing latent possibilities to the foreground amidst difficult realities.

While life can be serious business, Dan loved to play. He was a gifted athlete who played baseball, football, tennis, volleyball, and golf throughout his lifetime. Much of his youth was defined on the baseball field as a prominent pitcher. Throughout his career, he helped others discover health and wholeness through opportunities for play and self-expression. Later in life, he was a (notorious?) force on the golf course, and embodied the spirit of friendly competition.

Dan retired from COR in 2015 to take care of his mother. In this era, Dan returned to the Zen simplicity of life. He re-awakened his farming genes and focused on growing plump tomatoes, tender okra, and bright foliage. He rounded up his friends and colleagues for regular golf trips, and frequented local courses several times a week.

Dan would definitely say his family outweighed any accomplishment. He fiercely loved and supported his wife Sissy, daughter Kate, and son Joe as they continued to grow together as family. Dan loved puzzling out life’s meanings and sharing his perspectives on the world’s workings, and he was equally enthusiastic about keeping up with all things sports. He loved nothing more than having the family all together to talk religion and politics along with a hearty dose of laughter at his wicked sense of humor. Dan enjoyed traveling the world with his family, and was always ready with help in whatever form it was needed. His family will remember and honor his compassion, curiosity, intelligence, poetry, wit, humor, and fierce advocacy on behalf of those who are most vulnerable.

Dan is survived by his wife Sylvia (Sissy) Caldwell, daughter Kate Caldwell, son Joe Caldwell, and several cousins and nieces. Dan was preceded in death by his mother Doris Caldwell, father Charles Don Caldwell Sr., brother Charles Don Caldwell Jr., and several aunts and uncles.

Throughout his illness, Dan continued to evince his thoughtful, hilarious, and dignified approach to living his life. Dan died peacefully in his home surrounded by family on August 22, 2024. Dan’s family welcomes any and all to join us in remembering and honoring this special man on September 7, 2024 at 2:00pm at New Providence Presbyterian Church, 703 W Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN 37801. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to be made to New Providence Presbyterian Church or to the Mental Health Association of East TN, PO Box 32731, Knoxville, TN 37930.