Community Blog Series

Giving Your Heart This Holiday Season

December 3, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

Talking with a family recently, they spoke of a loved one as having “a giving heart.” I liked that phrase. Our heart is what gives us life each day. We put our heart into something we do that we really care about. We love someone with all our heart. The giving heart is one that looks for ways to help before anyone has to ask. We can all name one Continue Reading…

We Are Thankful for Our Community

November 21, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

At Callaway-Jones, we are thankful for our community—this means each one of you who has made Bryan-College Station a better place to live and work. The season of Thanksgiving marks a time of anxious anticipation of happiness, where gathering as many generations of family together as you can in one place is a time where you can reminisce, remember, and take photographs of family members with your matriarchs and patriarchs. Continue Reading…

From Halloween Candy to Remembering Saints Who’ve Gone Before Us

October 31, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

What a difference 24 hours can make. Tonight, we’d intended to answer the door and greet youngsters dressed up in awesome or scary costumes. Outdoors activities moved indoors thanks to the rains that fell. Fortunately for the children, volunteers worked the booths tonight at Fall Fests hosted by churches. Across the Brazos Valley, many children found ways to celebrate Halloween, safe, but not completely dry. Do you remember what your Continue Reading…

The Value of Volunteering

October 16, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

Earlier this month, I was an invited presenter at the Texas Funeral Directors Association’s 1st Annual Emerging Leaders University. My topic was Community Involvement, so I had a chance to teach by example, sharing with my class some of the ways in which our team makes contributions to the Brazos Valley in their off hours. I spoke on the value of volunteering. Thinking about the special community we all live Continue Reading…

Transferring Your Pre-Paid Funeral Policy Is Easy

September 19, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

Since opening our newest Funeral and Cremation Center, I’ve been asked the same question a few times, so I thought it would be a good idea to share the answer here. If you already have a pre-need policy for your funeral and it was written somewhere else, can Callaway-Jones accept it? The answer is yes, absolutely. Bryan-College Station and the Brazos Valley continues to grow daily, with many of us Continue Reading…

Life Lessons for a Winning Team

September 5, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

Football season brings unparalleled excitement when fall arrives, because we expect a winning team. Absolutely, new and returning Texas Aggies alike are excited about the Jimbo Fisher era of Aggie football, which began officially Aug. 30. Chelsea and I saw the Class of ’22 and all the other classes entering fabulous Kyle Field for the first game. Their excitement is contagious for our entire community. There’s a rite of passage Continue Reading…

U.S. Senator John S. McCain III

August 26, 2018 by Cody Jones

This evening we commend the example and give thanks for the life of U.S. Senator John McCain, who died today at the age of 81, surrounded by his loving family and closest friends at the family’s ranch in Arizona. Although we were prepared for his passing, having heard last week that Sen. McCain had decided to discontinue medical treatment in his battle against brain cancer, the fact that he is Continue Reading…

Teachers Deserve Our Ultimate Respect

August 20, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

As new school years begin across Brazos Valley school districts, there’s renewal and a fresh spirit of optimism in the air. It’s hard to contain the excitement of a kindergarten student or first grader as they approach a new school year. They’ll be meeting teachers who they’ll consider “transformational” in their lives many years from now. Teachers are due all of the respect we can possibly offer them. Teachers will Continue Reading…

Shopping Local — What That Really Means to All of Us

August 8, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

Last month, one of our Facebook friends tagged us on a post titled “Shop Local!” in which he cited statistics showing that “for every $100 spent, $68 stays in the community from a local business, compared to $43 from a local branch of a chain store.” Moreover, he stressed that our property values from locally owned businesses pay taxes that benefit schools, emergency services, and community enhancement by shopping local. Continue Reading…

The Power of a “Thank You” Note

July 25, 2018 by Dawn Lee Wakefield

Going through the mail today I was pleased to see that we had received two thank-you notes, sent to us from families who commended team members by name. This was a great feeling for two reasons. First, I always enjoy hearing from families we serve that one or more of our team has touched their hearts sufficiently to want to let me know. Second, I love receiving thank-you notes in Continue Reading…