Phil Callahan

Funeral Services for Philip J. (Phil) Callahan, of Albert Lea, will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, January 20, at St. Theodore Catholic Church in Albert Lea. The Reverend Russell Scepaniak will officiate. Interment will be in St. Theodore Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by Freeborn County Veteran's Organizations. Visitation will be from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. on Tuesday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, and one hour before the service at the church. He was born on May 31, 1924, in Freeborn County, the son of Jerome " Jerry" and Margaret (Cunningham) Callahan. Phil served our country in the U.S. Army in WWII from November of 1944 until his honorable discharge in July of 1946. He was stationed in England, France and Germany primarily working as a medic. He was united in marriage to Betty L. Halverson on October 14, 1950 at St. Theodore Catholic Church. Phil started as lineman and then meter service for Freeborn/Mower Electric for 41 years before retiring. Phil was a founding member of the Sunset Saddle Club and had been active in the Western Saddle Club Association (WSCA) and numerous draft horse shows across the country where he had served as judge for many years. He had a great passion for showing horses especially with his daughter, Mary, including Quarter Horses, Belgians and Percherons. Phil and Betty had enjoyed dancing and socializing with friends in their more than 65 years together. Phil died on Friday, January 15, 2016 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. He was 91. Philip is survived by his wife Betty, his daughter Mary Callahan of Farmington, MN, sisters-in-law Doris Callahan and Elaine Bjerke of Albert Lea and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Jerry and Margaret Callahan, his brothers Edward and his wife Violet, Robert and Patrick; sisters Anne and her husband Roland Casterton and Mary Ellen and her husband Bob O'Leary, brothers-in-law Rollin Halverson and Byron Bjerke.