Frances Callahan Obituary

Frances Imelda Callahan
Frances Imelda Callahan (nee Rutkowski) 94, passed away peacefully while surrounded by her loving family on December 14, 2024.
Fran was born in Lorain on March 3, 1930 to Jakob and Mary Rutkowski. She was the 4th girl born out of their 6 girls. With that many girls in their home, there was rarely a dull moment and ultimately that experience cultivated some of the most important relationships in her life. Her youth was spent roller skating, playing with paper dolls, eyeing the boys that would pass by, and being the first girl in her neighborhood to dare to wear pants.
She graduated from Lorain High School in the 1948 Class A. During and after high school she worked at Sutter's and even met her husband, Fritz, during one of her shifts. She fondly recalled ditching school early in order to get a few extra hours of work in because she loved being there so much.
Although Fritz and Fran married in 1952, there was a time when she believed she would be getting engaged to him much sooner. It was in a dark movie theater that Fritz slipped a ring made of paper onto her hand - and just as quickly as Fran's heart raced in excitement, it quickly dropped when she realized that it was just his candy wrapper. Fritz got a good laugh out of all of this, and followed up later on with the real thing. They went on to have four children of their own: Jimmy, Colleen, Pattie, and Bob.
Fran also worked at the S. Weitz Clothing Factory, Stove Works, and Crystal Clear Cleaners. However, her favorite and most cherished job was babysitting. She babysat her grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family, and family friends. There is not a person she would turn away if it meant she would get another opportunity to rock with a baby. The children she cared for got to enjoy days filled with The Price is Right, fried bologna sandwiches, intense card games of war, and a mandatory afternoon nap for everyone in the house.
Fran was a huge sports fan, especially when it came to Ohio State football and the Browns. She could regularly be seen cheering for her grandchildren at Lorain Catholic games, shouting her favorite phrase at the opposing team: "miss it, miss it, miss it" while munching on pink wintergreen lozenges and wearing a sweatshirt covered in sports buttons that proudly stated that she was an LC grandma.
Her presence will be deeply missed by all who knew her - whether they knew her as Fran, Franny, Auntie Francie, Franya, Mom, or Grandma. She hated to feel like she was ever putting anyone out, so it is known that she would want everyone to get off their "dupa" and live their days in a way that accurately reflects the generous, kind, hilarious, wonderful person she was.
Survivors include her children, James (Erin) Callahan of Lorain, Colleen (Terry) Pena of Wakeman, Patrice (Rocco) Riccardi of Lorain, and Robert Callahan of Lorain; sister, Teresa Jachym of Lorain; 5 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert "Fritz" Callahan, in 1990; parents, Jakob and Mary (nee Kobylarczyk) Rutkowski; and sisters, Dolores Feldkamp, Shirley Jacovetti, Agnes Kmieciak-Draves, and Alice Kromroy.
The family will receive friends at Reidy-Scanlan-Giovannazzo Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2150 Broadway, Lorain, OH on Thursday, December 19, 2024 from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Closing Prayers will be held at the funeral home on Friday at 9:20 AM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church, 309 W 7th St, Lorain, OH 44052, on Friday, December 20, 2024 at 10:00 AM, Fr. Daniel O. Divis, officiating. Christian burial services will immediately follow the mass at Calvary Cemetery in Lorain. Online condolences may be sent using rsgfuneralhome.com.