Robert Emery Callison

Robert E. Callison was born at Naval Air Station Patuxent River on Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, on November 9, 1948. Bob succumbed after a 4 1/2-year battle with cancer on January 12, 2015. He was 66 years old.

Robert grew up in Chula Vista, CA, graduating from Chula Vista High School in 1965. He earned collegiate degrees from Southwestern College, 1967, UCLA, 1970, and did graduate study at California State University, Fresno, and Lewis & Clark College in Portland.

After earning his Bachelor’s Degree at UCLA, Callison served in the 28th United States Army Band at Fort Ord, CA. During that time, he met and married the love of his life, Karen Lynn Shrout. They were married on New Year’s Eve in 1971, and their marriage was to last into its forty-fourth year. Bob and Karen were blessed with two sons, Matthew Ryan Callison and Andrew Bryan Callison. The boys and their wives made Bob a grandfather four times, much to his delight.

Callison was a “Music Man” with a career as a high school-level band director for thirty years, directing bands and choirs in Reedsport, OR, Encinitas, CA, and Gresham, OR. He was director of bands at Gresham High School from 1979 through 2002. He was an Oregon Band Directors Association district chairman for more than ten years, and served a term as the 2nd-Vice President of the Oregon Music Educators Association. For eight seasons, Bob served as the Concert Band Director with the Portland Metropolitan Youth Symphony organization. He was selected by his peers to become a member of the prestigious Northwest Bandmasters Association as well. Bob loved to play his trumpet and directed a number of church choirs in Oregon and California. He also performed with the Lynchwood Brass Ensemble in Portland.

Callison was preceded in death by his father, V.E. “Ted” Callison, and his mother, Ruth Elizabeth (Hughes) Callison. He leaves his sisters Vivian Hay (Van Nuys, CA), Martha Mayall (Chula Vista, CA) and brother James Callison (Austin, TX).

The joy of his life was his wife of 43 years, Karen Lynn, and sons Matthew (daughter-in-law, Rachel) and Andrew (daughter-in-law, Elissa). And his four grandchildren, Shayla, Matthew (Matty), Evan, and Eli.

Robert leaves a legacy of a jovial and witty personality, a Love of The Lord, and a legion of friends, family, and former students who still correspond their love for “Mr.C” to this day.

There will be a celebration of his life at the Lynchwood Church of God, 3818 SE 174th Avenue in the Gresham area. The service will be held at 2:00 o’clock on Saturday, January 24, 2015. Interment will be at the Willamette National Cemetery. Arrangements by Bateman Carroll Funeral Home.