Dan Callahan

ST. IGNATIUS o Dan Callahan, 81, died Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, at St. Luke Extended Care in Ronan.

Dan was born Feb. 17, 1923, to Daniel David Callahan, Sr. and Mary Colgan Callahan in Baltimore. He was raised in Dallastown, Pa., and graduated from York Catholic High School in 1939. After high school, he worked as a boilermaker and photographer.

In February 1943, he enlisted in the Army. After completing his training in Fort Lewis, Wash., he was assigned to the University of Idaho for more training. It was there that he met his future wife at a USO dance.

In September 1944, he was sent overseas to the European Theater with the 11th Armored Division of Patton's 3rd Army. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and all across Germany, ending in Austria, where the 11th Armored Division liberated Mauthausen concentration camp.

After the war, Dan returned home and married Afton Agnes Lundblade on March 2, 1946, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. After almost a year of travel they settled on a farm in Salmon, Idaho, where they began raising seed potatoes. With their family increasing, they bought a bigger farm in St. Ignatius in 1951. In St. Ignatius, they continued to raise seed potatoes. Over the years they also raised children, cattle, corn, peas and sunflowers.

Dan was active in the community, including the Lake County Democratic Central Committee, the Lake County Weed Board, the Montana State Potato Growers Association, the St. Ignatius Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Afton, in 1994; daughter, Dianne, in 1959; brothers, Richard, Paul Carroll and Colgan; and sister, Jean Miller, all of Pennsylvania.

He is survived by his children, Anita (Ted) Childs of Kent, Wash., Daniel (Carol) Callahan of Brighton, Iowa, Thomas (Patti) Callahan of Las Vegas, Marilynn (Gary) Shamblin of Four Lakes, Wash., Christine (Jim) Marks of Great Falls, Katherine (Jerry) Krantz of Huson, Stephen (Shirley) Callahan of Las Vegas, Timothy (Mary) Callahan of St. Ignatius, Celeste (Bruce) Hoyer of Belt and Roseanne (William) Rider of Manhattan; 29 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.

Also, his brothers, Donald, Walter and Francis of Pennsylvania, and sisters, Rita Rossi and Kathleen Jones of Maryland, survive him.

Memorials may be made to the Mission Church Restoration Fund.

Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated Oct. 29 at the St. Ignatius Catholic Church.