Clair A. Callan

Death

Clair A. Callan, 85, Fairbury, died Saturday, May 28, 2005, at the Heritage Care Center in Fairbury. He was born March 28, 1920, in Odell, was a 1938 graduate of Odell High School and a 1942 graduate of Peru State College. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1943-1946, serving on a destroyer in the Pacific. He joined his father and brother in the family business, Callan Hardware and Implement in Odell, upon his return from military service after World War II. He served on the Odell Village Board, Odell School Board, Gage County School Reorganization Board, Gage County Fair Board, Gage County Extension Board, chairman of Governor's Committee on State Government Reorganization Board and chairman of Nebraska Power Review Board. He was engaged as a farmer, stockman, and in the hardware and farm supply business; elected as a Democrat to the 89th Congress (Jan. 3, 1965-Jan. 3, 1967); unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1966; to the 90th Congress, and in 1970 to the 92nd Congress; deputy administrator of the Rural Electrification Administration, 1967-1968; served as president, Allied Industries International Inc., and Agri-Tech in Nashville, Tenn. He also served as an administrator of the Federal Commission on Paperwork in Washington D.C. He was a life-long member of the Odell United Methodist Church, and was also a member of the Fairbury Elks Lodge, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Shriners, Freemasons, Odd Fellows, and Optimists International. He retired to Fairbury in 1983.

Survivors: wife, Joyce M. (Stark) Callan of Fairbury; son, John P. Callan and wife Jane of Ralston; daughter, Catherine Renshaw and husband Jamie of Odell; brother, Dean W. Callan and wife Mary Ann of Boulder, Colo.; grandchildren, Brenda and Gregory Callan of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada; Dr. Preston Renshaw and wife Nicole of Gering, Dr. Amanda McKinney and husband Patrick of Lakewood, Calif., Alex Renshaw and fiancée Jenna Fenton of Laramie, Wyo.; sister-in-law, Pauline Patrick of Fairbury; six great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, John S. and Agnes (Armstrong) Callan; parents-in-law, Alta and Paul Stark; brother-in-law, Lewis E. Patrick.

Memorial service: 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 1, Odell United Methodist Church, Odell, the Rev. William Jardin officiating. Family visitation at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Odell United Methodist Church, Odell.