Richard “Dick” Callanan

Richard James “Dick” Callanan passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on November 12, 2024. Born to Joseph and Louise Callanan on October 16, 1935 in Malden, MA as the fifth of six lovingly boisterous children, Dick lived his life as a friend to all and stranger to none. He was ordained a Paulist Catholic priest in 1962 and focused on bringing togetherness to diverse communities of worship. But as is so often the case in life, his world was forever changed when he met the love of his life.

For the sake of brevity, he found it increasingly impossible to ignore that his heart belonged Jean Marie O’Brien Carpenter. A widow with two young sons, Gilbert and Patrick, Jean shared Dick’s joie de vivre and they eventually tied the knot in Colorado Springs, Colorado on May 1, 1976. A third son, David, arrived a year later and the family relocated to Santa Barbara in 1980 due to Dick’s new job as the Administrator of The Santa Barbara Cancer Foundation. Their love remained strong and the 805 their home for the next 44 years.

They immersed themselves in our vibrant community with countless souls who blur the line between family and friend. He is survived by his beloved wife Jean, sons Gilbert (Erika Jokinen), Patrick (Rya), and David (Karen), grandchildren Gil, Finn, Liam, Evan, Ben, Nate, and Grace, as well as an army of beautiful nieces and nephews who gave him the sparkle in his eye. He was also blessed by an array of generous caregivers who worked tirelessly to comfort him in his final years – most notably a pair of angels he considered daughters, Lucia and Estefani Hernandez.

In lieu of flowers, the family simply requests that anyone interested in honoring our beloved PopPop reaches out to someone in their life and makes them laugh today. For it is in love and laughter where Dick Callanan will always be found.

A proper celebration of Dick’s life will be held on January 16, 2025.