Obituary of Rev. Dr. Charles McCallum Rev. Dr. Charles Jacob McCallum, 95 (Colonial Oaks Health and Rehab, Marion, IN), entered Heaven January 31, 2019.
He was born November 1, 1923, (Otisco, NY) to Claude and Arvilla (Bailey) McCallum (deceased). Due to his mother’s illness, he was raised by his father, prayerful grandmother, pastor uncle, a blind aunt, and a family friend handicapped through polio. His life was shaped by family prayers, church ministry, farm work, and barn building, all of which were formative in his love for God, people, ministry, and the social sciences.
Graduating from Tully High School (NY) in 1941, he went on to earn an AB in 1944 and a ThB from Allentown Bible Institute (PA) in 1944, with further studies at Muhlenberg College in 1945. When Roberta L. Gunsalus arrived at Allentown Bible Institute mid-academic year, Charles announced to his friends that he would marry her, even before he saw her. Despite her initial reluctance, Charles won her heart and they married on August 18, 1945 in Carlisle, NY.
The bedrock of their home was, “. . .
as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. (Joshua 24:15) They agreed together in prayer and saw mighty answers over 71 years of marriage. Charles pursued undergraduate and graduate studies in psychology, obtaining a BA from Eastern Nazarene University (Quincy, MA) in 1958; an MA from the State University of New York (Albany, NY) in 1973; post-graduate studies at Boston University, and an EdD from the University of Tulsa in 1980.
As a pastor and missionary, Charles was ordained by the Reformed Methodist Church. He served in the Reformed Methodist Mission (Roseau, Dominica, British West Indies); Cobleskill Wesleyan Church, NY; First Wesleyan and Balltown Wesleyan Church, Schenectady, NY; Ticonderoga Wesleyan Church, NY; Forest Dale Wesleyan Church, VT; Heuvelton Wesleyan Church, NY; First Wesleyan and Sooner Park Wesleyan Church, Bartlesville, OK; Wesleyan Evangelical Seminary, Brakpan, South Africa; and First Church of the Nazarene, Hutchinson, KS before retiring in 2003. Charles was a psychologist, professor, department chair, and college principal, teaching at Schenectady Community College, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, and the Wesleyan Evangelical Seminary (South Africa).
He continued to teach into his 70’s and kept mentoring his grandchildren until he died. He founded Youth and Family Services of Washington County, OK, retiring from his counseling career at age 79 from Horizons Mental Health Center, Hutchinson, KS. As a draftsman, carpenter, and general contractor of church buildings, Charles was involved with projects in Allentown and Stroudsburg, PA; Wollaston, MA; Schenectady, Heuvelton, Niskayuna, Cobleskill, Kingsbury, and West Chazy, NY; Bartlesville, OK; Brakpan, South Africa; and Brisbane, Australia.
Charles read his Bible early every morning, loved music and finished each family moment with prayer and singing the Doxology. He was a lifetime student, reading voraciously, but finished life with just a Bible, hymnal, a book on Heaven and a book about the Holy Spirit. “Keep true to the Lord and live for him.
Love your spouse, kids, the church and people”. These were his mottos. He was kind to all, listened intently, and always ended conversations with prayer.
“Only one life, t’will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last,” he often quoted. Charles continued to pray faithfully for his family (63 in all, including 5 children, 11 grandchildren and spouses and 35 great-grandchildren). Survivors include Children: Chuck (Cindy) McCallum, Marion, IN; Darlene (Bill) Edwards, Sterling, KS; Wesley (Patricia), Millsboro, DE; Suzanne (Bryan) Sprung, Great Bend, KS; and Philip (Leslie), Seattle, WA; Grandchildren: Teresa (Kevin) Batman, Chad (Julie) McCallum, Dawn Edwards, Bill (Faye) Edwards, Donna (Aalok) Edwards Shah, Nathaniel (Michelle) McCallum, Rachel (Kyle) Chahanovich, Michelle (Kevin) Fletcher, Matthew (Amanda) Sprung, Laurel (Jeff) LeBlanc and Levi McCallum.
He is preceded in death by his sister, Arvilla McKenzie, formerly of Lynden, WA; wife, Roberta; and daughter-in-law, Joy McCallum. Viewing will be at College Wesleyan Church Chapel, Marion, IN on February 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and at Hutchinson Funeral Chapel (KS) on February 23 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.. The memorial service will be held February 23, 1 p.m., at the Hutchinson Funeral Chapel with Pastor Kendall Franklin officiating.
Committal will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Hutchinson, KS. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial gifts to: Indiana Wesleyan University, 4201 South Washington Street, Marion, IN 46953, for the Charles and Roberta McCallum Memorial Scholarship. Online condolences may be made at www.
nswcares.com.
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