Mr. Richard "Rick" Callahan

Richard Joseph Callahan of Raymond Drive Dalton, MA died January 24, 2025 at the age of 79. Rick would be the first to tell you he was a lucky guy. Born in Pittsfield on September 17, 1945 to John and Mary Callahan, the youngest of three children, including older brother David, who passed in 2022, and beloved sister Kathleen. Rick attended Wahconah Regional High School, Class of 1963, studied at Berkshire Community College, then served his country in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Shangri-La in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Malta, Bay of Turkey, and Italy. After his time in the Navy, Rick had the good fortune to meet Linda Louise Winters. They married in the middle of a blizzard on November 25th,1971, and had two wonderful boys, Tim and Ryan, who Rick said never gave him an ounce of trouble. After working at both Mosler Safe Company and General Electric, in 1977 Rick set out to make it on his own. He bought a single garbage truck and formed Callahan Trucking. Over the next 20 years, he grew Callahan Trucking from one truck to a fleet of fifteen, providing his family with opportunities beyond their wildest dreams, all through a combination of hard work, luck, and unyielding self-belief. He also made plenty of time for golf. Rick was a proud member of Wahconah Country Club for 40 years, and served as Club President. The golf course was Rick’s home away from home and he loved the laughter, comradery, and many close friendships. He was proud to win four Little Brown Jugs, several member-guests tournaments with his son Tim, and provide many caddying (i.e. cart-driving) opportunities to his son Ryan. Rick’s life was not without sadness and loss. When his best friend Michael Mason died tragically, Rick was devastated, but he was lucky enough to watch over Michael’s children: Michael, Todd, Jimmy, Mary, and John Mason. After selling Callahan Trucking in 1994, Rick became a licensed realtor and started Berkshire Cottage Realty which continues to operate today. He was thrilled to become a grandfather and delighted in taking Andrew and Ethan to their first day of school each year. In 2009, tragedy struck Rick’s life yet again. After a long battle with cancer, his beloved wife Linda passed away. Rick devoted his entire being to Linda’s care in her final years and her loss left a hole in his life that he never thought would be filled. Until he met Bobbie Dus. Did we mention this man was lucky? Rick and Bobbie met and fell in love and began their adventures. From driving tours around New England, to watching the sunsets in their winter home in Port Orange, Florida, to running Paddy’s Restaurant in Dalton together, Rick and Bobbie lived life to the fullest and kept each other, and everyone else, laughing. Rick is survived by his sons Tim Callahan and Ryan Callahan, his sister-in-law Randy Winters, his daughter-in-law Judy Callahan, his grandchildren Andrew and Ethan, his life partner Bobbie Dus, his step-family, Teresa and Mark Bills, Lora and Brennen Kozlowski, Peter Dus and Tanner Burke, their children, his sister Kathleen Brinnon, and the many nieces and nephews and friends and relatives who he loved deeply and who miss him dearly. As a man who beat the odds for decades with various health scares and overcame more than one near-death experience, Rick leaves for all his loved ones a final message: “Believe it or not, death finally caught me.” Funeral Notice: Rick’s Memorial Service will be held at Dwyer-Wellington Funeral Home in Dalton, 525 Main Street, Dalton MA 01226, on Friday January 31, 2025 at 3PM, with visiting hours at the funeral home prior to the service from 1PM to 3PM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Mr. Richard "Rick" Callahan

September 17, 1945 - January 24, 2025