John Gordon Mccallum
December 26, 1924 — August 28, 2012
John Gordon McCallum died Tuesday, August 28, 2012, at Cottage Grove Place in Cedar Rapids. He was 87 years old. Services: 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 1, 2012, at St. Matthews Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids by Father David Beckman. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, August 31, 2012, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids.
Gordon was born December 26, 1924, in Oak Park, IL, the only child of Hugh and Gwladys McCallum. He grew up in Lancaster, WI, joined the Army Air Corps in 1943, and served until September 1945. He was a B26 crew member on thirty-eight missions with the 391st bomb group in Europe. After the war he attended the University of Iowa, earning a Masters Degree in Medieval History. As a lucky result of alphabetical seating in a shared class, he met Geneva McBride, to whom he was married in1948. They raised a family and shared their lives for nearly 60 years.
Gordon was a high school teacher in Clear Lake for three and a half years before moving to Cedar Rapids in June, 1956. He taught social studies at Franklin for one year and then government and history at Washington High School for 29 years. He was an avid reader and carefully followed politics and government news. He was a life long fan of the Chicago Bears and jogged and exercised daily for many years. Having converted to Catholicism during the war Gordon was a devoted member of St Matthew Catholic Church. He sang in the men's choir and later with the Joyful Noise and served as a lay minister. After his retirement, Gordon was a committed volunteer for Aging Services and also delivered meals for Meals on Wheels. He was a proud and active grandpa who was deeply loved by his grandchildren,
Gordon is survived by his children, Stephanie Dirks of Des Moines, Catherine McCallum (Tom Fouser) of Monrovia, California, Susan McCallum of Minneapolis, David (Sue Marsden) also of Minneapolis, and Duncan (Cris Snow) of Cedar Rapids; his grandchildren, Jennifer Coon, David Fouser, Julia Fouser, Anna Syed, Sarah Dirks, Erica Seth, Alex McCallum, Claire McCallum, Connor McCallum and Bailey McCallum; and his three great grandchildren, Clara Fouser, Isra Syed and Zakariyya Syed. He was preceded in death by his wife, Geneva, an infant son, Michael, and son in law, Eldon Dirks.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the charity of the donor’s choice in Gordon’s memory.
Gordon was born December 26, 1924, in Oak Park, IL, the only child of Hugh and Gwladys McCallum. He grew up in Lancaster, WI, joined the Army Air Corps in 1943, and served until September 1945. He was a B26 crew member on thirty-eight missions with the 391st bomb group in Europe. After the war he attended the University of Iowa, earning a Masters Degree in Medieval History. As a lucky result of alphabetical seating in a shared class, he met Geneva McBride, to whom he was married in1948. They raised a family and shared their lives for nearly 60 years.
Gordon was a high school teacher in Clear Lake for three and a half years before moving to Cedar Rapids in June, 1956. He taught social studies at Franklin for one year and then government and history at Washington High School for 29 years. He was an avid reader and carefully followed politics and government news. He was a life long fan of the Chicago Bears and jogged and exercised daily for many years. Having converted to Catholicism during the war Gordon was a devoted member of St Matthew Catholic Church. He sang in the men's choir and later with the Joyful Noise and served as a lay minister. After his retirement, Gordon was a committed volunteer for Aging Services and also delivered meals for Meals on Wheels. He was a proud and active grandpa who was deeply loved by his grandchildren,
Gordon is survived by his children, Stephanie Dirks of Des Moines, Catherine McCallum (Tom Fouser) of Monrovia, California, Susan McCallum of Minneapolis, David (Sue Marsden) also of Minneapolis, and Duncan (Cris Snow) of Cedar Rapids; his grandchildren, Jennifer Coon, David Fouser, Julia Fouser, Anna Syed, Sarah Dirks, Erica Seth, Alex McCallum, Claire McCallum, Connor McCallum and Bailey McCallum; and his three great grandchildren, Clara Fouser, Isra Syed and Zakariyya Syed. He was preceded in death by his wife, Geneva, an infant son, Michael, and son in law, Eldon Dirks.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the charity of the donor’s choice in Gordon’s memory.
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