William Samuel Callaghan Jr.'s Obituary
William ‘Bill’ Samuel Callaghan Junior was born April 6, 1934, in Clementon, New Jersey.
Bill spent his early years in the Philadelphia area. He was a lifelong fan of all Philadelphia professional sports teams, with a particular passion for the Philadelphia Phillies. He worked for over 30 years for the wholesale sporting goods company in Philadelphia that supplied equipment and uniforms to the Phillies Organization. Over the years, he became friends with many front office personnel and players. He was especially proud of the fact that he furnished the first Phillies uniform for several rookies who went on to become major baseball league stars.
Bill was a veteran in the United States Army, where he honorably served his country. His beloved mother died when he was 21. He and his father moved to Clearwater, Florida where he worked for 12 years in the clubhouse for the Phillies spring training camp, several Dream Week camps, and the Clearwater Phillies. Bill proudly wore his red Phillies ballcap and met many fellow Phillies fans wherever he went. Bill served as a primary caregiver for his ailing father during that time.
A lifelong bachelor, through mutual friends, he met Mildred ‘Millie’ Irene Conkle and they were married on June 24, 1995, at the historic Bethel Presbyterian Church on Gulf to Bay Boulevard in Clearwater. Millie and he celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary together at the Harbourwood Care Center where he was recuperating from surgery to repair a broken hip. A week later he was admitted into Mease Life Hospice Care where on Saturday July 6, 2024, he succumbed to bone cancer.
Bill’s friends describe him as a true gentleman, and that the world, has lost to heaven’s gain, an amazing person. He will be remembered by family members as the kindest, gentlest man that they have ever met.
Bill is survived by his wife Mildred, three stepchildren Diane Deter, Douglas Conkle, David Conkle and their spouses: eight grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren.
A graveside memorial service, to celebrate his life, will be held at a date to be determined.
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