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Michael Callaghan | Visitation:
Monday, April 6, 2009
4:00 PM until 8:00 PM
Martin-Mattice Funeral Home
Emmetsburg, IA
Service:
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
10:30 AM
Holy Family Catholic Church
Emmetsburg, IA
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| | | In Loving Memory of
Michael W. Callaghan
May 23, 1917 ~ April 4, 2009
MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL
Holy Family Catholic Church
Emmetsburg, Iowa
Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 10:30 A.M.
CELEBRANT
Rev. Clem Currans
MUSIC
Holy Family Parish Funeral Choir
CASKET BEARERS
Aaron Greiner
Brendan Greiner
John Gebhart
Tom Gebhart
Bill Gebhart
Jim Clasen
HONORARY BEARERS
Harley Bigger
Hugh Neary
Elmer Freidel
Martin Eischen
Bob Lashbrook
Dale Reichert
INTERMENT
St. John’s Catholic Cemetery
Emmetsburg, Iowa
On April 4, 2009, Michael William Callaghan passed away in Emmetsburg at the ago of 91 surrounded by his family.
Mike was born May 23, 1917 in Emmetsburg, Iowa, the fifth son of John Joseph Callaghan and Anna Celeste Barnett. Mike graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in 1934 and remained in the Emmetsburg area his entire life. On February 20, 1944, Mike was married to Shirley Alice Henderson of Ruthven. The couple enjoyed a happy life raising their two daughters. Shirley passed away on April 8, 1990.
Mike’s first jobs were shining shoes outside the Kermore Hotel and selling homemade horseradish in order to buy his suit for graduation. Mike always prided himself on a well-shined pair of shoes. As a very young man Mike’s first “real” job was in the Iowa Theater and later in the shoe department of J. C. Penney’s. Mike worked at the U.S. Post Office in Emmetsburg where he became Assistant Post Master. He loved his thirty four years of service at the Post Office and enjoyed sharing his fond memories of his career with everyone. His dedication and service to the public was well known and he enjoyed meeting people around town. He was proud of his Irish heritage and spent time traveling, even making a trip to Ireland and Alaska in his later years. Mike traveled frequently to visit family in Florida, Texas, California, Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota. Mike was a life-long member of Holy Family Church and was involved with numerous church activities, especially in his younger years. He especially enjoyed dancing, playing golf and cards, fishing, and spending time with his family and friends. He was always there to spread a little Irish wit and wisdom to everyone whether you wanted it or not.
Left to cherish his memory are his two daughters, Loretta Greiner and her husband Keith of Pleasant Hill, IA and Mary Minear and her husband, Mike of Finksburg, MD. He has three grandchildren. Aaron Greiner and his wife Sarah of Des Moines, IA; Brendan Greiner of Ames, IA; and Mollie Minear of Durham, NC. Also surviving are Mike’s brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Harley and Delores Bigger of Spencer, IA and Shirley Henderson of Graettinger, IA. Preceding Mike in death were his wife, Shirley; brothers, Joe, Emmet, Jim, Frank and Julian; and sisters Anna Gebhart and Alice Potts. Mike was the last member of the proud Irish Callaghan family who came to Highland Township near Ruthven in 1879.
Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home
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