Robert C. McCallum's Obituary
In Centralia, WA, Mar 17, 1933, Bob was the first child born to Clifford and Lena(Moore) McCallum. Peacefully, in his sleep in his University Place home, on Oct 16,2006, Bob left our world, the first of their children to face death.Residing in Centralia, Tenino, and then Tacoma, Bob was graduated from Lincoln HighSchool, entering the US Air Force in 1956. Bob served his country at many bases,including Japan, but it was while he was stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, that hemet Linda, the love of his life. They married in December 1962, residing in nearbyDayton, until he left the Air Force. The couple was drawn to the Pacific Northwest,Bob's home, and moved to Tacoma in 1967. In 1968, they purchased a home in UP, acommunity they grew to love. Having their daughter, Linda Marie, was a wonderfulevent and made their family complete. Rob was an active, loving father, whose familyand home meant everything to him. Later, he included his 3 grandchildren in his circle of love.Rob fought a long battle with three bouts of cancer, beginning in 2000. His strength andstubbornness deserved and received the respect and love of many! He definitely wentdown fighting to live, but also accepting death as a natural occurrence. We will misshim terribly, but know he's now in Good Hands.Activities and organizations included: Lake Minterwood Beach Club; Carling Boat Club; Lakewood Elks; Orchard Beach Community Grp, president for 10 years; UPÂ's Tyler Rainbow Assembly father and supporter; IntÂ'l Municipal Signal Assn., 2ND & 1ST VP, president, director, and secretary-treasurer of the Northwest Section, composing and publishing the then 350-member section monthly newsletter. Under his leadership, the NWS received Best Section Award for 1985-86, and he personally earned the Best Sec/Treas Award for 1988-89, both at the IntÂ'l level. Further, he earned proficiency certification for Lvls 1&2 Traffic Signal Tech/lnsp and for Microprocessor; member of UP Cityhood Task Force for Public Safety; volunteer CORE member; Adriana Hess Wetland Park Sec & Pres; Skate Park Com. Mbr.; and helped erect Sunset Terrace Park playground equipment. He worked tirelessly to promote interest in UP activities and volunteerism, being honored as UP Volunteer of the Year for 2003. Rob could always be counted on to support the UP Park Commission, could be found daily at construction sites and was Â"awardedÂ" the title of Â"UP TroublemakerÂ" with his own nametag! That was the Â"awardÂ" he cherished!Rob leaves to survive him, his wife of 44 years, Linda; daughter, Linda Marie Louise, whose children are his granddaughters, Brittany and Isabell, and grandson, Nathanial, Tacoma WA; sisters, Lucy (Monty) Heim, Tacoma WA, and Pat Bell, FL; brothers, Bud (Carol) McCallum, Tacoma WA, and Dick (Judy) McCallum, ID; brother-in-law, Don Garhart of the home; sister-in-law Cyndee (Karl) Jennich, IL; aunt, Ona Moore, Rochester WA; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, as well as a host of terrific and loving friends.We especially want to thank Don for his move to Tacoma from Indiana to join the family in caring for Rob and helping his sister and Rob through this difficult time. A huge thank you goes out to the entire Multicare Hospice team for their caring support of all of us. Love has flowed into our home for the past month from everyone visiting or calling. This created the energy that was so very healing and warming for Rob. Thank you from our family to you all.If you wish, donations in RobertÂ's name may be made to the charity of your choice or to one of RobÂ's current favorites: our local Tahoma Audubon Chapter (one of the most active in the world!); TACID; local Post-Polio Support Group; City of UP future Cirque Park Community Center for which he always dreamed of winning the Lotto to build; and any other local conservation or Â"greenÂ" organization. He believed in local charities and conservation of resources.Private graveside inurnment will be held by the family. A service for Â"BobÂ"/Â"RobÂ" will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, November 11, 2006, in the Mountain View Celebration of Life Center, Aspen Chapel, with reception following at 1:00 PM, in the same building. Come prepared to eat, drink, and be merry as Â"RobÂ" asked of us!
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