Former Princeton Mayor and City Councilmember J.M. Caldwell, Sr. died Wednesday. The civic leader’s service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Faith Baptist Church in Princeton.

The community is in mourning after civic leader and former mayor J.M. Caldwell Sr., 95, died Wednesday, Dec. 12.

Caldwell’s son, John-Mark Caldwell, currently holds the seat as Princeton’s mayor.

J.M. was the mayor of Princeton from 1969 to 1971. In 2004, he was elected as a city councilmember for Princeton and served in that capacity for eight years.

In 2015, the city’s Community Park/POW camp was renamed as the J.M. Caldwell Sr. Community Park/POW camp in his honor.

The park, which has been known for years as Community Park/POW Camp was established in 1940 as a housing area for migrant workers who came into the area to work during onion and cotton seasons.

The federal government released its claim on the property in 1957 and the grounds became a dumping area with garbage towering up to 10-12 feet until Mr. Caldwell initiated a project to clean and improve the area.

Mr. Caldwell successfully ran for mayor in 1969 on a promise to clean up the park.

Viewing for Mr. Caldwell will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16 at Charles W. Smith and Sons Funeral Home in McKinney and services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17 at Faith Baptist Church in Princeton.

By Wyndi Veigel • News Editor • [email protected]

For the complete story and more on J.M. Caldwell Sr.’s dedication to Princeton, see the Dec. 20 edition.