William A. Callanan

4/27/24 - 1/26/20

Picture and information courtesy of Maureen Callanan

Bill Callanan was born in Queens NY. On his first date with future wife Adeline Hession, they won a jitterbug dance contest. Eager go to sea and serve his country in World War II, Bill was accepted to the U.S. Maritime Radio Officers’ Training School on Gallups Island near Boston. Bill served on several Merchant Marine ships in the South Pacific and North Atlantic. After the war, he returned to NY and married Adeline. They had 6 children and were together when she died in 1989. In 1948, Bill joined Seaboard as a flight radio operator. In 1950, Bill moved his family to Honolulu where he worked in Seaboard operations for four years. In 1954, Bill was one of the former radio operators Seaboard trained as flight engineers on Seaboard's new Super Constellations. His flying career spanned 35 years.

After retiring from Flying Tigers, Bill earned his community college degree in New Jersey and began a second career as a computer programmer. He took a student intern job at QAD and became head of tech support. Bill spent much of his second retirement with special friends in Daytona Beach, FL. He spent his last few years in Santa Cruz, where he enjoyed dancing, music, and stories of the old days.

Predeceased by his parents Margaret and Richard, his wife Adeline, and his sons Michael and Rick, Bill is survived by son Bill Callanan (Carol), daughters Kathi Callanan (Dennis Richards), Maureen Callanan (Frank Halasz), and Beth Callanan, by grandchildren Courtney Henson (Joe), Kimberly Mack (Joe), Brian Callanan (Amanda), Keegan Callanan (Rachel), Christopher Callanan (Erin), Megan Plush (Ted), Caitlin Halasz (Rob DeLisle), and Kevin Halasz, by nephew Ray Paschell, and by his great-grandchildren, Fiona, Adeline, Cailey, Claire, Owen, Kasia, Liam, Elise, Ivan, James, Amos, and Charlie.