Michael Thomas Callahan's Obituary
Life Story and Obituary
Michael Thomas Callahan, known to many friends and family as “Mike,” passed away at the age of fifty nine plus years of age on April 21, 2020 in Dallas, Texas.
He was born in Dallas, Texas on Thursday, February 9, 1961. He moved, with his family, to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1969, attending elementary school and high school near Emory University. Mike, with his family, moved back to Dallas in June of 1981.
Mike was preceded in death by Eileen Beatrice Callahan, grandmother, Earl Kennon Callahan, grandfather, Marian Ross McCoy, grandmother, Alger Eugene McCoy, grandfather, and Eugene McCoy, uncle.
Mike is survived by Julia McCoy Callahan, mother, Dr. Kennon L. Callahan, father, Kennon L. Callahan, Jr., brother, Shay Anderson Callahan, sister-in-Law, Blake, Mason, and Brice Callahan, three nephews, Fred and Rusty McCoy, cousins, Dan Earl and Pat Callahan, uncle and aunt, Samantha Callahan and Patrice Callahan Turek, cousins.
Memorials may be made to The Michael Thomas Callahan Memorial Music Ministry with Unity Church of Christianity at 3425 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75206.
“Great, Dad, I made four new friends today.” Mike had come home from high school, bubbling, bursting into the house. I had said, “Mike, how did school go today?” His enthusiastic response was these eight words, “Great, Dad! I made four new friends today.” These words summarize Mike’s life. This is among our favorite memories of Mike.
Mike loved people. Mike loved life. Mike had the wonderful gift of making friends. Mike loved helping people to enjoy life. While in high school, he found a job as a Server at Wesley Woods, the retirement home near Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He loved serving the residents. They loved him. Each meal was a joyful gathering of friends and family.
Across his fifty nine plus years, he found great pleasure in helping people to enjoy life. With his business partner, Marie Grove, he founded the restaurant, Stolik, “Little Table,” in Dallas, Texas. It was a wonderful gathering place. He served as a manager of several of the finest steak restaurants in Dallas.
He most enjoyed being a Server, directly sharing and celebrating with persons dining together in the restaurant. His most recent venue was The Front Room Tavern at The Hotel Lumen, near Southern Methodist University. It could be a family celebrating a child’s birthday, a couple enjoying their third wedding anniversary, a group of friends gathered to celebrate graduation, or a wonderful meal of family and friends. With Mike, the gathering would be special and he would help persons to discover their spirit of friendship and family even more deeply and fully.
Mike’s wisdom, his insight, his practice was to live life with the spirit of community, roots, place, belonging, good fun, good times, friends, and family. Life is about more than accomplishments and achievements. Life is about relationships and friendships.
Mike’s insight, “life is about friendships,” is helping countless people across the planet.
Mike enjoyed a range of musical instruments, his favorite being the Ukulele. He has been known to play and sing with various friends and groupings in the area. His playing was light and encouraging, playful and stirring.
Mike enjoyed his dogs. He loved being with them. They loved being with him. Mostly, each was a dog he had rescued from a shelter. He would bring them home and they would become part of the family. He frequently would share his life with two and three dogs at a time.
Mike loved vacations in Colorado, bringing his dogs. Together, they would hike and share, explore and enjoy. His ashes will be buried at the family site in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery near Buena Vista, Colorado. There is a wonderful view of Mt. Princeton.
Mike loved helping people. He found friends in all walks of life. He would come to know them by name and to know the story of their lives. Mike’s best accomplishments are the friends he has made, the persons he has served, and the persons he has helped. He is missed. Deeply. His memory will continue with us.
The Celebration Service for Michael Thomas Callahan will be held on Thursday, May 21 at 4:00 pm at The Smoky Rose at 8602 Garland Road across from the Arboretum. A Buffet will follow the Service.
Memorials may be made to The Michael Thomas Callahan Memorial Music Fund with Unity Church of Christianity at 3425 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75206.
What’s your fondest memory of Michael ?
What’s a lesson you learned from Michael ?
Share a story where Michael 's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Michael you’ll never forget.
How did Michael make you smile?