Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
Michael Callahan
1935 - 2025
BORN
1935
DIED
2025
Michael Callahan Obituary
Michael Callahan
November 16, 1935 – October 24, 2025
Born on November 16th, 1935 in Los Angeles, California, Michael Anthony Callahan was a
Thanksgiving baby who would give his family, friends and students much to be thankful for over 89 years of his extraordinary life. He was a Hollywood son who became a Jesuit priest. He was a film student who became a film professor. And a beloved husband who became a cherished father and a treasured grandfather.
With the blessing of his silent movie star mother, Leonora Summers and his Light-Welterweight
Boxing World Champion father, Mushy Callahan, Michael was ordained as a priest in 1967. During his time in the seminary, he convinced the Jesuits to send him to the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he got his doctorate in film history and where his lifelong passion for movies began. Perhaps this obsession began much earlier when he was just a boy in a bathtub. Michael loved recounting the story of how John Wayne, yes the John Wayne, dropped in on his
parents one night while he was in the bath. Like the polite boy he was, Mikey immediately stood up in his birthday suit and shook hands with the Duke.
As the Communication Arts Chair at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles for over a decade, Michael led the department from being a small program in the 1980s to becoming one of most prominent film programs in the country. In addition to teaching multiple classes, writing film reviews for the National Catholic Reporter, he was the priest consultant for the 1981 film,
True Confessions in which he also appears in the film as a deacon beside Robert De Niro.
Dr. Michael Callahan was a bon vivant who brought his own personal style to every film class, faculty meeting and Mass. His antics caught the eye of his colleague, then known as Dr. Diane Stauts, Professor of Psychology, Chairman of the Education Department and President of the Faculty at LMU. When he was preparing to take his final priestly vows, he sought advice from Dr. Stauts. The consultation led to a very different set of vows, when the happy couple married
on January 12, 1982. They honeymooned in Mexico and waited for the dust to settle before returning to the university. The dust never really settled at LMU, but they began their new life together in Palos Verdes, California and Father Mikey, as he was known, became the beloved stepfather to Holly, Tracy and Paul.
Father Mikey made everything better. He showed 16mm movies in the living room. He made impossibly clever Christmas scavenger hunts. He named the dogs Thelma & Louise. When Loyola fired him after the wedding, he started teaching at Harbor College and Long Beach City College. In 1991, Diane and Mikey left Los Angeles for higher ground in California Gold Country where they built a majestic home at Lake of the Pines, which became the centerpiece of their lives.
From countless birthday parties to Fourth of July barbecues to Christmas dinners to two family weddings, their lake home was the focal point of the family. Michael quickly blazed a new trail for himself, teaching at Sacramento State, helping produce and edit the Lake of the Pines Cable Access News, while watching as many films as he could rent on a weekly basis from Netflix and Blockbuster combined.
Michael and Growly, as Diane was known, adored their numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Every Christmas Mikey would put on his Santa hat, set up the Christmas train and deliver a series of handmade holiday puzzles each with age appropriate clues leading every child and adult on a journey to find their perfect Christmas present.
On October 25, 2015, Michael lost his beloved wife, Diane Callahan. It was almost exactly 10 years to the day, when Michael passed away on October 24, 2025. Mikey is survived by his stepchildren Paul Stauts, Tracy Saltzman and Holly Pettitt, his grandchildren Sydney, Alexander, Ethan, Jacob, Hallie, Sadie, Scout and Zelda, and his great-grandchildren Michael Eddie and
Rosie.
Michael never met a pun he didn't like. Never met a person he couldn't charm. Never met a crossword he couldn't solve. And never met a movie he wouldn't watch. Rest in peace dear Michael. You were very loved and will be very missed.
November 16, 1935 – October 24, 2025
Born on November 16th, 1935 in Los Angeles, California, Michael Anthony Callahan was a
Thanksgiving baby who would give his family, friends and students much to be thankful for over 89 years of his extraordinary life. He was a Hollywood son who became a Jesuit priest. He was a film student who became a film professor. And a beloved husband who became a cherished father and a treasured grandfather.
With the blessing of his silent movie star mother, Leonora Summers and his Light-Welterweight
Boxing World Champion father, Mushy Callahan, Michael was ordained as a priest in 1967. During his time in the seminary, he convinced the Jesuits to send him to the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he got his doctorate in film history and where his lifelong passion for movies began. Perhaps this obsession began much earlier when he was just a boy in a bathtub. Michael loved recounting the story of how John Wayne, yes the John Wayne, dropped in on his
parents one night while he was in the bath. Like the polite boy he was, Mikey immediately stood up in his birthday suit and shook hands with the Duke.
As the Communication Arts Chair at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles for over a decade, Michael led the department from being a small program in the 1980s to becoming one of most prominent film programs in the country. In addition to teaching multiple classes, writing film reviews for the National Catholic Reporter, he was the priest consultant for the 1981 film,
True Confessions in which he also appears in the film as a deacon beside Robert De Niro.
Dr. Michael Callahan was a bon vivant who brought his own personal style to every film class, faculty meeting and Mass. His antics caught the eye of his colleague, then known as Dr. Diane Stauts, Professor of Psychology, Chairman of the Education Department and President of the Faculty at LMU. When he was preparing to take his final priestly vows, he sought advice from Dr. Stauts. The consultation led to a very different set of vows, when the happy couple married
on January 12, 1982. They honeymooned in Mexico and waited for the dust to settle before returning to the university. The dust never really settled at LMU, but they began their new life together in Palos Verdes, California and Father Mikey, as he was known, became the beloved stepfather to Holly, Tracy and Paul.
Father Mikey made everything better. He showed 16mm movies in the living room. He made impossibly clever Christmas scavenger hunts. He named the dogs Thelma & Louise. When Loyola fired him after the wedding, he started teaching at Harbor College and Long Beach City College. In 1991, Diane and Mikey left Los Angeles for higher ground in California Gold Country where they built a majestic home at Lake of the Pines, which became the centerpiece of their lives.
From countless birthday parties to Fourth of July barbecues to Christmas dinners to two family weddings, their lake home was the focal point of the family. Michael quickly blazed a new trail for himself, teaching at Sacramento State, helping produce and edit the Lake of the Pines Cable Access News, while watching as many films as he could rent on a weekly basis from Netflix and Blockbuster combined.
Michael and Growly, as Diane was known, adored their numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Every Christmas Mikey would put on his Santa hat, set up the Christmas train and deliver a series of handmade holiday puzzles each with age appropriate clues leading every child and adult on a journey to find their perfect Christmas present.
On October 25, 2015, Michael lost his beloved wife, Diane Callahan. It was almost exactly 10 years to the day, when Michael passed away on October 24, 2025. Mikey is survived by his stepchildren Paul Stauts, Tracy Saltzman and Holly Pettitt, his grandchildren Sydney, Alexander, Ethan, Jacob, Hallie, Sadie, Scout and Zelda, and his great-grandchildren Michael Eddie and
Rosie.
Michael never met a pun he didn't like. Never met a person he couldn't charm. Never met a crossword he couldn't solve. And never met a movie he wouldn't watch. Rest in peace dear Michael. You were very loved and will be very missed.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by The Union on Nov. 15, 2025.
Memories and Condolences
for Michael Callahan
0 Entries
Be the first to post a memory or condolences.
Make a Donation
in Michael Callahan's name
Memorial Events
for Michael Callahan
How to support Michael's loved ones
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Cope With Grief
Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you.
Read more
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreWays to honor Michael Callahan's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
