David B. Caldwell, age 58, of Bethany passed away June 16, 2023 after a brief illness. Born in New Haven on October 6, 1964, he is a son of, and is survived by, John W. and June (Kavanagh) Caldwell of Orange. Dave is also survived by sons Brandon M. Caldwell of Northford and Samuel M. Caldwell of Milford; Debby Christman, his loving partner of over 12 years with whom he shared a home; his sister Brenda L. Caldwell of Bethany; his brother Christopher J. Caldwell of Greenville, South Carolina, nieces Alani Gandossy, Eliza Caldwell, and Gina Caldwell, his favorite uncle Tom Kavanagh, and his beloved cat Willow. Dave was a graduate of Amity Regional High School and continued with trade school in auto mechanics. He lived in Cheshire, Orange and Bethany during his life. Dave was a skilled mechanic and could fix just about anything. He owned and operated Caldwell Power Equipment and now Caldwell Automotive, both in Hamden, for many years. He loved automotive repair, but also loved talking with and building relationships with his customers. His customers knew him as an honest mechanic and a great person, and rewarded him with their loyalty. Dave was an auto enthusiast. He enjoyed his cars and tractors, especially projects that he worked on with his sons. He was a proud owner of a 1971 Pontiac TransAm, which he restored. Dave enjoyed traveling with Debby and their friends on cruises and to auto racetracks. He also loved spending time with family and friends locally and at the family cottage in Maine, which he took pride in maintaining for the family. Dave was always there to help people in any way he could. He was funny and fun, and a loyal friend to many. He will be truly missed by everyone who knew him.
Friends may visit with Dave's family at Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Avenue, Hamden on Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. During this time, starting at 5:30 p.m., there will be a celebration of Dave's life with memories shared by family and friends. To view a recording of the service, please use this link: David Caldwell's Celebration of Life . Password: sZF$m5@. His burial will be private with his family. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dave's memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at www.stjude.org , an organization he supported.