John Gale Callow

March 25, 1954 - September 19, 2019

John Gale Callow, age 65 of Richmond, VA departed this life for another on September 19th, 2019, surrounded by his loving family. He was born March 25, 1954 in Dixon. Preceded in death by his younger brother Bryan and parents Maryln (Trader) and Gale Callow. John is survived by his two sons, Teddy and Bryan of Richmond, VA; his older sister, Caren (Neil) Freil of Dixon; his younger sister, Sophroana Chambers of Sterling; younger brother Scott of Rockford; nieces and nephews, good friends, and extended family. John graduated from Dixon High School (1972) in Dixon, IL, where he was known as a popular, empathetic, and fashionable guy. He was also an all-state linebacker on the football team, pure defender on the basketball team, and long-distance runner on the track team. John volunteered his service in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany in the early 70s where he met some of his best friends and travelled the world. He attended the University of Illinois and played club rugby on the Bloomington Blues, who won the era’s largest rugby tournament in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. John moved to Los Angeles in the late 70s and met/married the mother of his two children, Cathy Callow Fallin. He enjoyed many things. Among them were Notre Dame football, Red Sox baseball, golfing in Myrtle Beach, coaching and El Chapala. He coached hundreds of young baseball players, won a Little League World Series, taught Bryan and Teddy a myriad of sports, and, above all, loved his family. Nothing in his life gave him more joy than to see his two boys become best friends and to watch them grow into the strong, caring, and compassionate men they are today. Tremendous and heartfelt thanks go out to the exceptional nurses and surgeons at the VCU Cardiac and Intensive Care Units, who provided incredible care for John and also helped with a peaceful and compassionate transition from this life to the next. A celebration of John’s life will be held at Crossroads Art Center in Richmond, VA on Saturday November 9th, from 3-5 pm where we will share food and drinks as well as our favorite stories of John. Memorial donations in John Callow’s memory can be made to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Richmond chapter: https://www.bigbrobigsis.com/give.html