Elizabeth Caldwell

All people die, but not all people live. For 43 years, Beth provided the playbook for living a good life.

Elizabeth Ann (Homant) Caldwell was born on May 15, 1981 in Grand Rapids, MI to Theresa (Charlie) Lam and David (Krys) Homant. She passed away in Tampa, FL on January 24, 2025 after fending off a diagnosis of brain cancer (glioblastoma) for almost 11 years.

Growing up in Grand Rapids and Newaygo, MI, she was active and played every sport available to her – cheerleading, basketball, softball, volleyball – from a desire to “be active” that she would keep for life. She was also in community theater and school plays and musicals, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of singing and dancing. She enjoyed a summer abroad program in high school that kindled a love of travel and learning languages.

One thing Beth did not love was cold winter weather, and after standing all she could stand, she absconded in the middle of her senior year at Central Michigan University and ran away to warm sunny Florida. Far from her family of origin, she formed a family of friends from the community of crossfit, where she coached countless people to be their best, healthy selves. She provided the FU in the FUN of a hard workout, the challenge to do just one more lift, the high-five when you succeeded.

When her sons were only seven and four, she received a devastating blow in the form of a diagnosis of glioblastoma brain cancer and was given three to five years to live, even with aggressive surgery and treatment. Because she did not want to give up even a minute with her boys, she pushed that prognosis as far out as she could. Her strength and endurance helped her persevere through a second surgery seven years after the first that gave her almost four more years with us. Beth was a source of inspiration for other people facing similar diagnoses, and a literal poster-child for Moffitt Cancer Center.

Every day, Beth challenged herself to do something. She worked out, was an avid runner, played nerf gun wars with her sons and all the neighborhood kids, spent countless beach days with her boys, traveled, learned new languages just because. She refused to let cancer get her down and filled every day with joy and adventure. There was always music, always laughter, always shenanigans.

She collected friends like lost pennies, and every one was valuable to her. You could call her day or night, for any reason, and she would respond. Merely mention the possibility of a night out, and you were off. And if you didn’t mention a night out, she surely would, and you’d still be off. Even after her diagnosis, a phone call to check up on her would inevitably end up as a therapy session for you.

Beth is survived by her sons, Gavin and Triston, her parents, her siblings Jackie Mitchell, Ben Homant, Dan (Jessica) Homant, Gabrielle Homant, and Alivia Homant, step-siblings Kimm (Dan) Hughes, Lotus Lam, and Tim (Heather) Lam, beloved nieces and nephews, countless aunts, uncles, and cousins, and innumerable well-loved friends.

If Beth had chosen to leave us with any words of wisdom, I believe they would be these from the immortal Pitbull, “This is for anybody going through tough times. Believe me, been there, done that. But every day above ground is a great day, remember that.”

Don’t you dare shed a tear or send flowers. Instead, pour yourself a wee dram (at least two fingers), chuck it back, and then go get yourself up to no good.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, February 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (short program at 11:30) at Twisted Oaks, 105 Cagle Rd, Brandon FL 33511. A prayer service and memorial will be held on Saturday, March 8 at 11 a.m. at St. Bartholomew Church, 599 W Brooks St, Newaygo, MI 49337, with a reception immediately following.