Isabelle M. "Billie" Callahan

1927 - 2022

Isabelle "Billie" M. Callahan

Amherst, MA — Amherst, MA Isabelle "Billie" M. Callahan, 95, author, artist, and Town Meeting member, died April 15, 2022, at the Elaine Center in Hadley. Billie was born in New Salem and spent her first year of life in Prescott. Prescott was one of four Massachusetts towns inundated in 1938 to form the Quabbin Reservoir. Her parents' early life in Prescott, along with their letters during World War I, and Billie's own poetry, formed the basis for Billie's 2002 book, This Lovely Valley, Chosen Place. The youngest of four daughters of Frank and Emma (Currier) Bowen, Billie grew up in Cushman, a village of Amherst, with sisters Helen (Canney), Shirley (Streeter), and Louise "Punky" Bowen. Billie graduated from Amherst High School then worked at Bates' Store and Butler and Ulman nurseries. In 1945, while working at the Callahan farm in Sunderland, she met the love of her life, James W. Callahan, who was home on leave from the Army. Jim and Billie married in 1947, enjoyed more than 55 years of marriage, and raised four children. Jim was an Associate Professor at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass. When her last child entered elementary school, Billie went to work part-time for UMass' Food Service. She later became Manager of the UMass Copy Centers, working in the Whitmore Administration Building until her retirement in 1996. All of their children graduated from UMass. Billie loved everything associated with Amherst and UMass Amherst, as evidenced by her participation. She was an elected Town Meeting member for more than 40 years, representing South Amherst, until Town Meeting was replaced by a Town Council. She served on and chaired the town's Finance Committee. Billie was a member of Amherst's 1976 bicentennial committee, where she recorded oral histories and painted watercolors of buildings established on or before 1776. In retirement, she was an election worker at the Munson Library in South Amherst. She served on Amherst's 250th parade committee and volunteered in the Town Clerk's Office and at the Amherst Senior Center. She joined a memoir group and authored an unpublished memoir entitled "My Eighty- Two Years in Amherst." At UMass, Billie and Jim volunteered at campus barbecues and in the Athletic department. Watercolor paintings were Billie's trademark. From photographs Billie painted homes, farms, and churches. Her paintings went as far as Hokkaido, Japan to UMass's sister university. Billie presented a painting of the Dickinson homestead to actress Julie Harris, who had portrayed Emily Dickinson in the play, "The Belle of Amherst." Billie also painted watercolors of homes that had been relocated from the four Quabbin towns. It was important to Billie to stay in touch with her Quabbin roots through participation in Swift River Valley Historical Society activities. Billie loved sports. She participated in candle-pin bowling and was a member, and occasional champion, of the Amherst Golf Club. Billie and Jim were season ticket holders for the UMass football and basketball programs since the 1970s; Billie added on hockey in her later years. She rooted for all of the Boston professional sports teams and disliked any team from New York. Billie was a proud member of the greatest generation. She is survived by her four children, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews on both sides of the family. Jim died in 2003. Billie's children are Mary Thompson-Leary (Ken Leary), Patrick Callahan (Janis Gray), Sharon Callahan King, and Kathleen Callahan. The grandchildren are Yusef King, Rory Thompson, Derek King, Shannon King, Claire Villa, and Rosemary Callahan-Gray. Wherever Billie went, people knew her. The Amherst and UMass communities have lost a treasure in Billie Callahan. She will be dearly missed by her family. Appreciation goes out to the staff at the Elaine Center, to Billie's roommate Suzy, and to Compassus (hospice care) for their kind assistance during a most difficult time. Calling hours will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 25, 2022 at the Douglass Funeral Home, 87 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA. The funeral Mass will be Tuesday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Brigid's Church in Amherst. Masks at all services are respectfully requested. Burial will be private. Donations in Billie's memory may be made to the Swift River Valley Historical Society, 40 Elm St., New Salem, MA 01355 or to a charity of your choosing. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com