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November 10, 2018
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, November 16, 2018 from 4-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home beginning at 10 AM on Saturday, November 17, 2018, then to Christ the King Cemetery where Bill will be laid to rest with his beloved wife, Barbara.
William J. Callan, age 91 of Wayne, died peacefully on Saturday, November 10, 2018. He had lived in Wayne since 1961.
Bill was born and raised in the Bronx. In 1944, he was anxious to join the war effort, and with his parent’s consent, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of seventeen. During his time with the Navy, he crossed the equator twice and circled the globe twice! His ship arrived in Hiroshima, Japan just weeks after the atom bomb was dropped and he was able to tour the destruction first hand on a motorcycle he found. He was honorably discharged in May of 1946 and returned to civilian life.
Even before joining the Navy, Bill was drawn to the sea. He also had family members that were employed as longshoremen or with tug boat companies, so he was no stranger to the water. This led him to take a job with McCallister Towing and he became a deckhand onboard a tug in the NY harbor. Bill was never one to say “no” to an opportunity and his bosses liked that about him. He worked very hard, attended the Maritime Academy, and eventually became a tug boat captain. He starred in a commercial for Good Morning America which earned him his fifteen minutes of fame and a bit of celebrity in the 1980’s. His wheelhouse was like his second home, and Captain Bill loved every day on the job.
While in the Navy, Bill had met Barbara Furlong. It was a chance encounter, of sorts, when Bill was invited by a fellow sailor to have dinner with his family. Upon arriving at the Furlong residence in Brooklyn, Bill’s heart skipped a beat; he fell head over heels for Barbara Furlong at first sight. The feelings were mutual and they were married on July 24, 1948 in Barbara’s home, the place they had first met. After a brief honeymoon in Washington, D.C., they settled in Brooklyn and started their family. By 1961, they were ready for a move and found their home in Wayne. Bill and Barbara were married for sixty-eight years and for their fortieth anniversary, they enjoyed a trip to Ireland for a full month. Bill brought his bagpipes with him and crowds gathered at every place he played. He never thought of himself as a very good player, although he practiced often right in his back yard. He was also talented trumpet player and organist. Bill was crazy about Barbara though, and they each would have been lost without the other. When Barbara became ill, Bill was devoted to taking care of her. Once he could no longer care for her at home by himself, he would visit her each and every day at the nursing home. They had dinner together every day without fail, and in the years since she passed away, Bill has missed her terribly. Surely they are enjoying a reunion in Heaven today.
Bill is survived by two children; William F. Callan and his wife Jo Ellyn of W. Springfield, MA, and Barbara K. Callan of Haskell, NJ, two grandsons; Shawn P. Callan of W. Springfield, MA, and Corey R. Callan of Hackettstown, NJ, and his daughter in law; Laura Callan of Brandon, FL. He was predeceased by his wife Barbara and his son James P. Callan, both in 2016.
Friends wishing to make a donation in Bill’s memory are asked to consider the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, www.WoundedWarriorProject.org.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, November 16, 2018 from 4-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home beginning at 10 AM on Saturday, November 17, 2018, then to Christ the King Cemetery where Bill will be laid to rest with his beloved wife, Barbara.
November 10, 2018
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, November 16, 2018 from 4-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home beginning at 10 AM on Saturday, November 17, 2018, then to Christ the King Cemetery where Bill will be laid to rest with his beloved wife, Barbara.
William J. Callan, age 91 of Wayne, died peacefully on Saturday, November 10, 2018. He had lived in Wayne since 1961.
Bill was born and raised in the Bronx. In 1944, he was anxious to join the war effort, and with his parent’s consent, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of seventeen. During his time with the Navy, he crossed the equator twice and circled the globe twice! His ship arrived in Hiroshima, Japan just weeks after the atom bomb was dropped and he was able to tour the destruction first hand on a motorcycle he found. He was honorably discharged in May of 1946 and returned to civilian life.
Even before joining the Navy, Bill was drawn to the sea. He also had family members that were employed as longshoremen or with tug boat companies, so he was no stranger to the water. This led him to take a job with McCallister Towing and he became a deckhand onboard a tug in the NY harbor. Bill was never one to say “no” to an opportunity and his bosses liked that about him. He worked very hard, attended the Maritime Academy, and eventually became a tug boat captain. He starred in a commercial for Good Morning America which earned him his fifteen minutes of fame and a bit of celebrity in the 1980’s. His wheelhouse was like his second home, and Captain Bill loved every day on the job.
While in the Navy, Bill had met Barbara Furlong. It was a chance encounter, of sorts, when Bill was invited by a fellow sailor to have dinner with his family. Upon arriving at the Furlong residence in Brooklyn, Bill’s heart skipped a beat; he fell head over heels for Barbara Furlong at first sight. The feelings were mutual and they were married on July 24, 1948 in Barbara’s home, the place they had first met. After a brief honeymoon in Washington, D.C., they settled in Brooklyn and started their family. By 1961, they were ready for a move and found their home in Wayne. Bill and Barbara were married for sixty-eight years and for their fortieth anniversary, they enjoyed a trip to Ireland for a full month. Bill brought his bagpipes with him and crowds gathered at every place he played. He never thought of himself as a very good player, although he practiced often right in his back yard. He was also talented trumpet player and organist. Bill was crazy about Barbara though, and they each would have been lost without the other. When Barbara became ill, Bill was devoted to taking care of her. Once he could no longer care for her at home by himself, he would visit her each and every day at the nursing home. They had dinner together every day without fail, and in the years since she passed away, Bill has missed her terribly. Surely they are enjoying a reunion in Heaven today.
Bill is survived by two children; William F. Callan and his wife Jo Ellyn of W. Springfield, MA, and Barbara K. Callan of Haskell, NJ, two grandsons; Shawn P. Callan of W. Springfield, MA, and Corey R. Callan of Hackettstown, NJ, and his daughter in law; Laura Callan of Brandon, FL. He was predeceased by his wife Barbara and his son James P. Callan, both in 2016.
Friends wishing to make a donation in Bill’s memory are asked to consider the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, www.WoundedWarriorProject.org.
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