John H. Callen ’55

Sweet Swinging Lucky Callen, the son of John Holmes Callen, was born June 19, 1932, in East Orange, N.J., and died June 9, 2016, in Red Bank, N.J., on his way north from Virginia Beach, Fla.

Utilizing Brokaw Field’s short porch, Lucky led our freshman team in long balls but then transferred to Trinity College, graduating in 1955. He spent three years in the Marine Corps followed by 19 years at Burlington Industries’ Sportswear Division, where he was president.

For the next 20 years, Lucky had an exciting career in the executive-search business of Ward Howell International, spending the last four years as chairman of the U.S. portion of the company.

Advised in 1996 by his doctor to slow down, Lucky did the next best thing, raising some 80 alpacas in Vermont and working just as hard as in the corporate world.

Lucky and his wife, Lyn, had four children and seven grandchildren, all of whom survive Lucky, as do his brothers Merrill, Daniel, Andrew, and Brock. Lucky was a man who made others glad to be in his company and loved visiting his kids and having them visit him and Lyn in Vermont. To Lyn and to Lucky’s other survivors, the class sends condolences.