This is the story for the graduation of Baerbel H. Callen into heaven. Shortly after birth, she and her entire family were relocated to a small Black Forest town, Sueltz on the Necher River in West Germany.
As a wayward teenager, she relocated herself to Kaiserslautern, also in West Germany, where she met her soon to be husband, Clarence L. Callen, Jr. After a whirlwind courtship, they were married on September 25, 1993. After saying goodbye to all her family and German friends, she flew to the United States to re-unite with her American G.I. Army Soldier she has married. Baerbel had to travel all alone since her husband had to be returned to the United States by troop ship, since he was an enlisted soldier without travel privileges.
After several job changes by her husband and herself, they decided to go to Phoenix, Arizona where there were plenty of opportunities for employment. They lived together in the phoenix area until they relocated to Mesa into a small home at 5428 E. Cicero Street in Mesa, Arizona were they resided until her ill health, several stokes, and many hospital stays caused her to become too weak to allow her to recover. She ended her struggle on May 26, 2017. Baerbel passed away without as much as a whimper, peaceably much the same way she lived her glorious life in the world.
During the time that Baerbel lived in Pennsylvania she and her husband had the opportunity to adopt their (surviving) son, Jeffery J. Callen, who also resides in Mesa.
Barbara is preceded in death by her mother, Barbara (Wolgamout) Holtz and her father, Fritz Holtz; her brothers, Heinz and Alfred; her sisters, Gertrude and Margot Graff. Baerbel has three surviving sisters, Erica, Brigitte, and Anita, all three residing right where Baerbel left them so many years ago in West Germany.
There will be a Celebration of Life at 11:00 am on Sunday, June 6, 2017 at East Mesa Baptist Church, 752 South Ellsworth Road, Mesa, Arizona 85208. The service will be officiated by Pastor Fidel Hughes.