Lieutenant Colonel (ret) Bennie E. Callis of Woodland, CA, passed away on 21 March 2020. He was born 8 June 1928 in Paducah, KY, the son of Jesse V. and Bertha Mae (Fondaw) Callis. Ltc Callis is survived by three children: Benita Lee (Callis) Lanahan, Aaron Scott Callis, and Vanessa Ineen (Callis) Burke. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Jessica Anne (Callis) Bratcher, Christopher Michael Callis, Katherine Elizabeth (Lanahan) Cornick, Lindsey Ann (Callis) Evans, Jennifer Lee (Callis) Kohn, Austin John Burke, and Hannah Patricia Burke and also three great-grandchildren: Mason Lucas Bratcher, Ethan James Kohn, and Adam Christopher Callis. Ben married Norma Lee Fenn on 14 August 1948 shortly after joining the US Army on 12 March 1948.
While stationed in Berlin, Germany, Ben became a First Sergeant of an Infantry Heavy Weapons Company. Upon return to the United States, he attended the Infantry Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, GA where he graduated as a Distinguished Graduate ranking third in his class. Ben accepted a Regular Army Commission and served until 1 March 1978 with assignments in Germany, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and various parts of the US. Lieutenant Colonel Callis received numerous military awards including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany), and various other Medals. He was a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and several military schools including the Command and General Staff College, Logistics Executive Development course, Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced courses, and the Armor Officer Basic course. After retiring from the military, Ben worked as an Executive Recruiter for three years and then as the Personnel, Safety and Security Manager for Explosive Technology, Inc, a government contractor in Fairfield, CA for eleven years and retired in December 1992.
Ben became an avid family genealogist after retiring and traced his family ancestry back to 1615 in England and Ireland. He compiled various genealogy manuscripts about his and other families, assisted numerous families with their ancestry, prepared and distributed a quarterly family newsletter, and published a book in 2005, Biblical Genealogy Abraham to Jesus Christ. Ben will be entombed in the Court of Honor at Mount Vernon Memorial Park & Cemetery, Fair Oaks, CA with his wife, Norma Lee, who passed away on 29 December 2012. Their daughter, Patricia Mae (Callis) Sommer who passed away on 28 January 1998, is buried nearby. A son, Michael Vernon Callis, passed away on 14 October 2008 and is buried in Maplelawn Cemetery, Paducah, KY.
A private graveside service with military honors will be held on June 5, 2020 at 11:00 am at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA. The opportunity to view the livestream event virtually will be provided via Zoom. Register in advance at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jxskr2x1SCWbMFXjTZH3kQ
Donations are appreciated in lieu of flowers and should be sent on behalf of Ltc (ret) Ben and Norma Callis to the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, 1310 S. Tryon St, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28203.
While stationed in Berlin, Germany, Ben became a First Sergeant of an Infantry Heavy Weapons Company. Upon return to the United States, he attended the Infantry Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, GA where he graduated as a Distinguished Graduate ranking third in his class. Ben accepted a Regular Army Commission and served until 1 March 1978 with assignments in Germany, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and various parts of the US. Lieutenant Colonel Callis received numerous military awards including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany), and various other Medals. He was a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and several military schools including the Command and General Staff College, Logistics Executive Development course, Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced courses, and the Armor Officer Basic course. After retiring from the military, Ben worked as an Executive Recruiter for three years and then as the Personnel, Safety and Security Manager for Explosive Technology, Inc, a government contractor in Fairfield, CA for eleven years and retired in December 1992.
Ben became an avid family genealogist after retiring and traced his family ancestry back to 1615 in England and Ireland. He compiled various genealogy manuscripts about his and other families, assisted numerous families with their ancestry, prepared and distributed a quarterly family newsletter, and published a book in 2005, Biblical Genealogy Abraham to Jesus Christ. Ben will be entombed in the Court of Honor at Mount Vernon Memorial Park & Cemetery, Fair Oaks, CA with his wife, Norma Lee, who passed away on 29 December 2012. Their daughter, Patricia Mae (Callis) Sommer who passed away on 28 January 1998, is buried nearby. A son, Michael Vernon Callis, passed away on 14 October 2008 and is buried in Maplelawn Cemetery, Paducah, KY.
A private graveside service with military honors will be held on June 5, 2020 at 11:00 am at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA. The opportunity to view the livestream event virtually will be provided via Zoom. Register in advance at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jxskr2x1SCWbMFXjTZH3kQ
Donations are appreciated in lieu of flowers and should be sent on behalf of Ltc (ret) Ben and Norma Callis to the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, 1310 S. Tryon St, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28203.
Lieutenant Colonel (ret) Bennie E. Callis of Woodland, CA, passed away on 21 March 2020. He was born 8 June 1928 in Paducah, KY, the son of Jesse V. and Bertha Mae (Fondaw) Callis. Ltc Callis is survived by three children: Benita Lee (Callis) Lanahan, Aaron Scott Callis, and Vanessa Ineen (Callis) Burke. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Jessica Anne (Callis) Bratcher, Christopher Michael Callis, Katherine Elizabeth (Lanahan) Cornick, Lindsey Ann (Callis) Evans, Jennifer Lee (Callis) Kohn, Austin John Burke, and Hannah Patricia Burke and also three great-grandchildren: Mason Lucas Bratcher, Ethan James Kohn, and Adam Christopher Callis. Ben married Norma Lee Fenn on 14 August 1948 shortly after joining the US Army on 12 March 1948.
While stationed in Berlin, Germany, Ben became a First Sergeant of an Infantry Heavy Weapons Company. Upon return to the United States, he attended the Infantry Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, GA where he graduated as a Distinguished Graduate ranking third in his class. Ben accepted a Regular Army Commission and served until 1 March 1978 with assignments in Germany, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and various parts of the US. Lieutenant Colonel Callis received numerous military awards including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany), and various other Medals. He was a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and several military schools including the Command and General Staff College, Logistics Executive Development course, Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced courses, and the Armor Officer Basic course. After retiring from the military, Ben worked as an Executive Recruiter for three years and then as the Personnel, Safety and Security Manager for Explosive Technology, Inc, a government contractor in Fairfield, CA for eleven years and retired in December 1992.
Ben became an avid family genealogist after retiring and traced his family ancestry back to 1615 in England and Ireland. He compiled various genealogy manuscripts about his and other families, assisted numerous families with their ancestry, prepared and distributed a quarterly family newsletter, and published a book in 2005, Biblical Genealogy Abraham to Jesus Christ. Ben will be entombed in the Court of Honor at Mount Vernon Memorial Park & Cemetery, Fair Oaks, CA with his wife, Norma Lee, who passed away on 29 December 2012. Their daughter, Patricia Mae (Callis) Sommer who passed away on 28 January 1998, is buried nearby. A son, Michael Vernon Callis, passed away on 14 October 2008 and is buried in Maplelawn Cemetery, Paducah, KY.
A private graveside service with military honors will be held on June 5, 2020 at 11:00 am at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA. The opportunity to view the livestream event virtually will be provided via Zoom. Register in advance at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jxskr2x1SCWbMFXjTZH3kQ
Donations are appreciated in lieu of flowers and should be sent on behalf of Ltc (ret) Ben and Norma Callis to the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, 1310 S. Tryon St, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28203.
While stationed in Berlin, Germany, Ben became a First Sergeant of an Infantry Heavy Weapons Company. Upon return to the United States, he attended the Infantry Officer Candidate School in Ft. Benning, GA where he graduated as a Distinguished Graduate ranking third in his class. Ben accepted a Regular Army Commission and served until 1 March 1978 with assignments in Germany, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and various parts of the US. Lieutenant Colonel Callis received numerous military awards including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany), and various other Medals. He was a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and several military schools including the Command and General Staff College, Logistics Executive Development course, Ordnance Officer Basic and Advanced courses, and the Armor Officer Basic course. After retiring from the military, Ben worked as an Executive Recruiter for three years and then as the Personnel, Safety and Security Manager for Explosive Technology, Inc, a government contractor in Fairfield, CA for eleven years and retired in December 1992.
Ben became an avid family genealogist after retiring and traced his family ancestry back to 1615 in England and Ireland. He compiled various genealogy manuscripts about his and other families, assisted numerous families with their ancestry, prepared and distributed a quarterly family newsletter, and published a book in 2005, Biblical Genealogy Abraham to Jesus Christ. Ben will be entombed in the Court of Honor at Mount Vernon Memorial Park & Cemetery, Fair Oaks, CA with his wife, Norma Lee, who passed away on 29 December 2012. Their daughter, Patricia Mae (Callis) Sommer who passed away on 28 January 1998, is buried nearby. A son, Michael Vernon Callis, passed away on 14 October 2008 and is buried in Maplelawn Cemetery, Paducah, KY.
A private graveside service with military honors will be held on June 5, 2020 at 11:00 am at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA. The opportunity to view the livestream event virtually will be provided via Zoom. Register in advance at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jxskr2x1SCWbMFXjTZH3kQ
Donations are appreciated in lieu of flowers and should be sent on behalf of Ltc (ret) Ben and Norma Callis to the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, 1310 S. Tryon St, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28203.
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