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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Era Eugene "Gene" Callahan of
4Springfield, who passed away on August 4, 2014; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Era Callahan was born on November 5, 1933 in
6Milford; his parents were Joe and Helen Meyer Callahan; his
7father, an active Democrat and Illinois State Representative,
8introduced him to politics and his way of life; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Era Callahan served his country as a member of the
10United States Army in Germany from 1956 to 1957; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Era Callahan was a graduate of Illinois College in
12Jacksonville, where he played baseball and met his future wife;
13he married Antoinette "Ann" Hammond on October 26, 1957; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Era Callahan began his career as a political
15reporter for the Illinois State Register, the predecessor to
16the State Journal-Register, where he wrote a daily political
17column called Callagrams for many years; he later left
18journalism to become deputy press secretary to Governors Samuel
19H. Shapiro and Otto Kerner, eventually serving Lt. Governor
20Paul Simon; he served as director of communications for City
21Water Light and Power for the City of Springfield; he served as

 

 

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1United States Senator Alan Dixon's Chief of Staff during his
2years as Illinois State Treasurer, Secretary of State, and
3Senator; he also served as the director of Government Relations
4for Major League Baseball and served on the board of trustees
5for Southern Illinois University; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Era Callahan was preceded in death by his parents;
7a brother, Fran; a sister, Jody Pruitt; and a son, Daniel
8"Coach Cal" Callahan; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Era Callahan is survived by his wife, Ann; 2
10daughters, Lynn (Al) Riddley and United States Representative
11Cheri (Gerry) Bustos; a daughter-in-law, Stacy Callahan; 7
12grandchildren, Brad and Chrissy Ruppert, Tony, Nick, and Joey
13Bustos, and Alexa and Carly Callahan; and a sister, Neta
14(Myron) Erdman; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
16ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his
17family and friends, mourn the passing of Era Eugene "Gene"
18Callahan; and be it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of Era Callahan as an expression of our
21sympathy.