Carol Ann Callaghan

Carol Ann Callaghan

Abundant enthusiasm; a quick smile; kind word; concern for others; and a welcoming heart – these were the qualities that characterized Carol and her approach to life. Family was the highest priority for her. She cherished the roles of wife, mother and grandmother. She was devoted to her siblings and grateful for friendships, both long-standing and newly formed.

Born in Bellevue, Ohio, Carol was the second of five children. Bellevue was quintessential “small town America,” fueled by the promise and optimism of the post-war era. Her father and mother were entrepreneurs, starting and building a successful home construction and apartment management business. She enjoyed a happy childhood, including piano, violin and voice lessons. She made long-lasting friendships on the high school cheerleading squad. Carol earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Carol met Greg Callaghan during her final year of high school in Bellevue. For their first date, Greg took her to a dance at the Cedar Point Ballroom in Sandusky, Ohio. Louis Armstrong and his band were the evening’s entertainment. She and Greg were married for 51 years.

Following Greg’s graduation from law school, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio. For many years, Carol worked as an interior designer at Irvin and Company, based at Shaker Square in Cleveland. She loved the visual arts and the creative process throughout her life.

Carol took great joy in becoming a mother to son, Chad. She invested herself whole heartedly in that role. The arrival of grandchildren, Grace, Henry and Lydia, deepened her commitment to family.

A variety of organizations benefitted from Carol’s time and energy as a volunteer, including: the National Junior Tennis League; the Junior League of Cleveland; Big Brothers and Big Sisters; Hawken School; Fairmount Presbyterian Church Sunday School; and the Fourth Angel cancer support network at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Her efforts with the Junior League included working on the annual Festival of Lights Christmas tree fundraiser in connection with the restoration of the Playhouse Square theaters. She enjoyed her many volunteer roles at Hawken – from room mother; to reading tutor; book fair coordinator; Field Day planner; school directory editor and Parent’s Committee member. Her work on the advisory committee that recommended Hawken open a pre-school was particularly meaningful to her.

Carol loved gardening. She read avidly about horticulture and took numerous courses at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Spending an afternoon working in her yard brought a smile to her face.

Carol left instructions to be cremated. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, November 9th at 1:30 PM in Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118.

CAROL ANN CALLAGHAN  (nee Zimmerman)  Beloved wife of Greg J. Callaghan of Cleveland Hts., OH; dear mother of Chad G. Callaghan (Kimberly) of Dallas, TX; dear grandmother of Grace, Henry and Lydia Callaghan; dear sister of Roger Zimmerman (Jan), Douglas Zimmerman (Barbara), Gregory Zimmerman (Carol) and Susan Zimmerman Dominy.

The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in her name to:  The Crop Trust (www.croptrust.org; Platz Der Vereinten Nationen 753113 Bonn, Germany); Hawken School (www.hawken.edu; P.O. Box 8002 Gates Mills, OH 44040); Fairmount Presbyterian Church (Flower Fund) (https://fpccle.org; 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Hts., OH 44118).