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Obituary for Jean McCallin
Jean McCallin, 85, swam her last lap on Tuesday, September 13, 2016, joining her beloved husband of 56 years, Tom, in heaven. Jean was born in Omaha, Nebraska to Frank and Mary Frances Panek; she was the eldest of two children. Jean, a wife, mother, friend, teacher, and professional singer always had a song in her heart and a shamrock in her eye. She graduated with a B.A. in History and a minor in Education from Duchesne College in 1953. As an early childhood educator and avid swimmer, Jean introduced water aerobics to southeast Denver and surrounding communities in the early 1970s and continued through April 2009; she was fondly known to the children she taught as “Miss Jean” and was proud to have taught a generation of Denverites how to swim and overcome their fear of the water. A woman of deep faith, Jean did everything in threes in honor of the Holy Trinity, pursuing the Catholic religion as a teenager on her own. Jean was an active member of the Colorado Alumnae of the Sacred Heart and the Denver Archdiocese – a parishioner, a cantor (at one time or another in virtually every parish in the diocese) and as a lector. We always joked that she wore out many a Guardian Angel as she drove from church to church.
Never has our country know a truer Patriot. She bled red, white and blue – her dedication to the United States never wavered. The National Anthem was her theme song and she never missed an opportunity to sing it.
Jean had a passion for all holidays, especially Halloween and the Fourth of July. Everyone in the neighborhood was welcome to her home and every spirit nourished. No tree was left undecorated and no child or parent disappointed after visiting her home on St. Hallows Eve. Jean and Tom loved the Denver Broncos, attending the team’s first championship game, Super Bowl XII (and many cold games), supporting the “Orange Crush.”
Her family will remember her deep love for them and the tender notes she wrote – every life event, big or small, was recognized. She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchild. All the four-legged friends who passed through her life added to her joy (Bradie and Bella ruled her heart). Her flair for fashion and hats was well-known.
Jean is survived by her six children, Anne Ayers (Jim), Rose McCallin, Nancy McCallin (Clark Hine), Julia McCallin (Kevin Strotz), Andy McCallin, and Tommy McCallin. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Katy (Curtis Arbuckle) and Chris Ayers, Caroline and Katarina Hine, Eleanor and Claire Strotz, one great grandchild, James Arbuckle Ayers, her brother, Robert Panek (Ursule) and numerous nieces and nephews.
We will all miss her songs, prayers and beautiful heart.
