Margaret Mae Callahan

Margaret Mae Cavanaugh Callahan passed away July 10, 2012. She was 98 years old.

She was born on May 7th, 1914 on what was known at that time as the Carpenter Hill Plantation on the north side of Tallahassee, later known as the Hartsfield and Cavanaugh Dairy Farms. She was the first born child of John J. and Annie Mae Cavanaugh. She enjoyed the role of a member of an old time Tallahassee family and her sharp memory about people, places and stories always captivated her audiences.

In 1933 she was married to Lee Roy Callahan of Tift County, Georgia. They lived in Tallahassee most of their married lives, except for brief periods during the war when they relocated to Apalachicola and to Panama City where her husband was employed in air base construction projects during WWII, and from 1952 to 1964 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, where her husband was in the hotel and restaurant business. They had six children.

Margaret was a member of the Tallahassee Women's Club, the Tallahassee Garden Club, and was very active for many years in the American Legion Auxiliary. In 2004 she was appointed the American Legion Auxiliary Miss Poppy and represented the American Legion in the Veterans Day Parade accompanied by her granddaughter, Melissa Ganey, who had served as Miss Poppy in 1986 when she was seven years old. She was a home maker all of her life and doted on her grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as any other young child that came into her life. Young children, her cat, her birds, being outdoors with the other birds, and her plants were her greatest pleasures.

She is survived by five children, Annette Roberts (husband Dave), Carolyn Losey (husband Gerry), Beverly Ashby, Ronald Callahan (wife Teresa), Donald Callahan (wife Jackie), all of Tallahassee or the surrounding area, 10 grandchildren, several step-grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and several step-great grand children, and a multitude of nieces and nephews as well as many other extended family members and good friends. She was predeceased in death by her parents, John J. and Annie Mae Cavanaugh, her three brothers, Hansel, John and Gene Cavanaugh, her husband, Lee Roy Callahan, one son, Lee Roy "Butch" Callahan, Jr., one grandchild, Doris Jean Losey, and one great-grandchild, Ivon Lynn Roberts.

A visitation will be held at Culley's MeadowWood Riggins Road Chapel on Sunday, July 15th from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. A celebration of life service will follow at 10:00 am. Interment at Roselawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32308, or a charity of your choice .