CALLAN (VETERAN WWII), MARTIN DUDLEY - Wheeler County, Texas | MARTIN DUDLEY CALLAN (VETERAN WWII) - Texas Gravestone Photos

Martin Dudley CALLAN (VETERAN WWII)

Wheeler Cemetery
Wheeler County,
Texas

Texas
AVIATION CADET Army Air Forces
World War II
April 19, 1919-March 14, 1959

*Photo/information, courtesy of Edith Guynes Stanley

*Obituary
High winds with gusts up to 60 miles per hour fanned smoldering timber of the George Kite ranch early Saturday morning and started one of the worst prairie fires in recent history. The dust laden high winds quickly spread the fire over two sections of range land and cost the life of one Wheeler Volunteer fireman.

Dudley Callan, 39, owner of the Deluxe Cleaning plant in Wheeler was fatally burned by flames as he battled the mid morning grass fire. Callan suffered burns over 100 per cent of his body. He died in the Wheeler hospital at 5:55 p.m. Saturday, less than 4 hours after the accident occurred.

Callan was burned shortly after the Wheeler fire truck became stuck in a bed of sand. Callan and another fireman. N.D. Ware Jr. of Wheeler, had gone to fight the fire. The remaining firemen stayed with the truck in an attempt to free the truck.

The two men were forced to retreat before the advancing flames. Callan was engulfed by the flames. Ware was able to jump over the fire and make it to safety.

Funeral services for Dudley Callan were held at 10:00 a.m. Monday in the First Methodist Church of Wheeler. The Rev. Carlton Thomson, pastor, officiated, assisted by Rev. M.B. Smith of Pampa.

Martin Dudley Callan was born at Sweetwater, Oklahoma April 19, 1919 and lived most of his life in Wheeler with the exception of 4 years spent in the Air Force during World War II. He served as an MP during the war and spent two years overseas.

Callan was a member of the American Legion, Wheeler Chamber of Commerce, Wheeler Volunteer Fire Department and the Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife Verna Callan; 2 daughters, Malinda Kay and Cathy D'Ann, all of Wheeler.

Other survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Callan of Wheeler; one brother, Harold D. Callan of Pampa; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Callan of Wheeler; maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Miller of Wheeler.

Interment was in the Wheeler Cemetery with a full military service by the West Passons Legion Post of Wheeler, under the direction of the Kirk Funeral Home.

Pall bearers were Bob McNeil, Earl Barnes, Thurman Rives, Hiram Whitener, Ocie Ford and Jack Garrison.

(Published in The Wheeler Times, March 19, 1959)

Contributed on 10/7/21

Suggest a Correction

Record #: 461582

To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.

Thank you for visiting the Texas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Texas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.

Submitted: 10/7/21 • Approved: 10/8/21 • Last Updated: 10/11/21 • R461582-G0-S3

Surnames  |  Other GPP Projects  |  Contact Us  |  Terms of Use  |  Site Map  |  Admin Login