Roxanne Weaver Caldwell-Fee

Roxanne Weaver Caldwell Fee (b. 12/26/41) passed away peacefully on September 10, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. She was surrounded by her devoted husband, Graham, her family, and was in the hearts and prayers of so many others who loved her, learned from her, and now mourn her passing.

Rox was a force of nature, with an outgoing personality, a huge heart, and an iron will. She believed strongly in education—her own and that of the hundreds of students she ultimately taught and counseled. Though she suspended her own higher education when becoming a young mother, she never abandoned her lifelong quest for learning. She continued to chip away at her studies, and eventually the Carroll Community High School graduate attended Simpson College and went on to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education/psychology from the University of Iowa.

During that time, she also found her voice as an activist and advocate. Coming of age during the 1960s and ‘70s, she proudly protested the Vietnam War and was a lifelong supporter of women’s rights and public education. Putting her talents where her heart always remained, she turned her passion for learning into a passion for teaching.

Rox taught at various schools in Iowa, teaching with her first husband, Bill Caldwell, at Morning Sun and Wheatland Community Schools. After Bill’s death in 1975, she moved to Knoxville, where she found her calling as a guidance counselor. She especially loved helping young people find their passions and talents, steering those who didn’t believe they could succeed to a brighter future. A stickler for grammar, the one-time English teacher could also be counted on as the family’s editor—never missing the chance to turn a speech gaffe into a learning opportunity.

In 1990, she met her husband, Graham Fee. They thought they were going to breakfast to clarify her insurance policies. But that dry discussion blossomed into a deeper conversation and a romance, ending 12 hours later on what would be their first date. They weren’t apart much after that—except for on political beliefs. Rox remained an independent thinker to the very end.

Rox and Graham followed their children and grandchildren’s activities with joy. One of Rox’s proudest moments was when her son Rick’s Waverly-Shell Rock’s wrestling team won state and her grandson, Cody, was crowned a three-time champ. She also reveled in seeing her daughter Shelley turn her creative spirit and artistic talents into a successful magazine career as a graphic designer and art director for Meredith Corporation.

Rox and Graham frequently travelled the globe with her sister and their brother-in-law, Kit and George Gibson. They visited six of the seven continents together. Travel was one of Rox’s great passions, she loved delving into other cultures and experiencing new things. There was no place too far flung for this curious and fearless woman.

Rox is survived by her husband of 35 years, Graham Fee; daughter, Shelley Caldwell; son, Rick Caldwell (Kristi); her sister Kit Gibson (George); stepdaughter Amy Wesner; stepson, Curt (Troy); 8 grandchildren (Cody, Kinsey, Abby, Ashley, Ian, Emma, Michael, John); and 3 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Marion County Humane Society or to the Memorial Scholarship for an outstanding high school graduate to be established in Roxanne’s name.