Michael James Callahan

Michael James Callahan It is with profound sadness that we announce that Michael James Callahan passed away in Rochester, Washington on July 31st, 2025, due to complications with cardiovascular disease. He was a beloved brother, friend, and inspiration to his children and grandchildren. Michael will be dearly missed but his memory will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and community.

Michael James Callahan was born on October 3, 1943, in San Francisco, California, to his parents Bert and Nancy Callahan. He would grow up in Antioch, California and graduate from Antioch High School in 1961, earning his varsity letter in Golf. In fact, not only did he love to play golf, he was considered gifted, and was encouraged to work towards playing professionally. However, after attending Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, he decided to enlist in the United States Navy in 1963.

While in the Navy he met Cheryl Butler who he would later marry on August 15, 1965, in Byron California. And though they decided to part ways in 1999 the two remained friends up until his passing. From 1963 to 1968, Michael served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam conflict on the USS Regulus as Machinist Mate (Propulsion). The USS Regulus was a Denebola-class Stores ship, tasked with carrying stores and equipment to ships in the fleet. His deployment took him all over the world including Hawaii, Japan, and the Tonkin Gulf in Vietnam.

With the experience Michael gained in the Navy working on boilers and steam turbines, he was able to secure a job in California with Pacific Gas and Electric, in the field of power generation. However, one day in 1970 he happened to be reading a trade magazine and saw that a new power plant was opening in Centralia, Washington. Shortly after he started working for them, he would get his associate's degree from Centralia College as well. He worked for the Centralia Power plant for 30 years starting in 1970 and switching to The United Conveyor Corporation in 2000. While employed with UCC until 2015, he worked on power plants all over the world providing his technical expertise on fly ash removal systems. Spending time in Canada, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and visiting every state in the U.S. Michael thoroughly enjoyed traveling as it gave him the opportunity to meet new people and experience different cultures.

In his later years he volunteered his time at Rochester High School in the wood shop, metal shop, and small engine repair programs. He found incredible joy in sharing his knowledge of woodworking, tools, and machinery with both students and teachers alike. Michael had a passion for mentoring in general. Using his love of cars, especially Chevrolets, Porsches, and Volkswagens, he helped his son restore a Volkswagen Beetle and helped his daughter repaint her Volkswagen Jetta. His efforts, have and will, influence the lives of young people to become STEM professionals, or tradespeople that will benefit our community for a generation.

Having a kind and generous heart, he would often assist folks without any fanfare. It wasn't unusual for him to give strangers bus fare to get home and would secretly pay for large family dinners when no one was looking. His passion for woodworking even led him to create beautiful pieces of furniture that his family will cherish for generations to come

Michael will be dearly missed by his son Shawn Callahan, as well as Shawn's wife Loni Callahan, of Colfax, California; his daughter Katie Callahan of Rochester, Washington; his twin sister Kathleen O'Brien of Wilton, California; as well as 4 grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Bert and Nancy Callahan. While Michael has departed from this world his memory stays with those whose lives he so profoundly affected.