Callihan

William “Bill” Callihan, 81, passed away Aug. 31, 2012, in Lakeland, Fla., of heart failure.

Bill was born in Chicora, Jan. 22, 1931, and was the eldest of nine children born to Oscar and Mildred Callihan.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Patricia Callihan; three sons, David, Patrick and Kevin; 11 grandchildren; sisters, Mary (Robert) Wiles, Patricia (William) Liberto and Kathleen (Robert) Edwards; and brothers, O. Frederick (Martha) Callihan, Thomas (Shirley) Callihan, James (Linda) Callihan and Daniel (Lana) Callihan.

Bill was preceded in death by his daughter, Maureen, who died in 2002; and a sister, Shirley Heitlinger, married to Louis Heitlinger.

In his early career, Bill served in the U.S. Air Force in Soap Lake and Tacoma, Wash., and went on to a long and distinguished career in the U.S. Department of State. As a State Department officer, Bill served as the communications officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, as the regional communications officer for West Africa in Accra, Ghana, and as a worldwide director for communications at the State Department in Washington, D.C.

Bill's life was devoted to his family, grandchildren, church and career. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

CALLIHAN — A funeral Mass for William “Bill” Callihan, who passed away Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, was Sept. 4 at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Lakeland, Fla., and a funeral service was Sept. 8 at the St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Middleburg, Va.Condolences may be mailed to the William Callihan family, c/o P.O. Box 262, Chicora, PA 16025, and memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1701 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311.