Ronald LaWayne Caldwell Jr

Ronald LaWayne “Ronnie” Caldwell Jr., known to family as “Doogie” and to friends as “Ro,” was a young man marked by commitment to his family, faith and the teams he loved. A native of Manor, Texas, Ronnie came to Northwestern State University to study business administration and to play for the Demons’ football program. Academically, he was recognized on the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll in 2022, reflecting a student who took his studies seriously while pursuing collegiate athletics.

On the field Ronnie wore No. 23 as a defensive back and earned the respect of coaches and teammates for his leadership. An injury kept him from competing during the 2023 season, but he stayed close to the team — often helping from the sidelines and even communicating with coaches during games, a sign of a teammate who lifted others even when sidelined. Off the field, he volunteered locally, including coaching a youth baseball team during the summer of 2023, where he shared time and encouragement with younger athletes.

Descriptions from those who knew him emphasize his steady presence: a young man who took pride in his family, attended church in Natchitoches, and planned for a future that included opening a health-focused business after graduation. Teammates and coaches remembered his smile, his voice in the locker room, and the way he could brighten a room when he entered it.

Ronnie’s life was tragically cut short on October 12, 2023. While the circumstances of his death became part of public reports and an ongoing investigation, those facts do not define the person his family and friends remember. What endures are the roles he held — son, brother, student, teammate, mentor to young ballplayers — and the small, true gestures that made him himself: showing up for teammates, helping youth players learn the game, and pursuing his studies with purpose.

Though public details about his private life are limited, Ronnie’s presence at Northwestern State and in the Natchitoches community left a clear impression: a young man with talent and plans, whose kindness and leadership mattered to those around him. He is remembered for the human connections he made and the promise of a life taken too soon.