Chester Callbeck, Jr

Chet Callback was called home by God on December 10, 2008 after 81 good years. Chet was born in 1927 in Washington, D.C., to Chet Callbeck, Sr., and Phillippa McJilton Callbeck. He enlisted in World War II after high school and served in the U.S. Navy as a Motor Machinist's mate. He was awarded the American Theater Ribbon and the Victory medal. After the service, Chet started as a diesel mechanic for the Trailways Bus Company, the first of a long line of jobs that gave him expertise as a mechanic, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, manufacturing supervisor, and expert in other construction trades. On the job or at home, Chet could fix anything. In 1950 he started to work for Otis Elevator, the beginning of his career in all aspects of elevator design, construction, repair and maintenance. He worked for Standard Elevator, Haughton Elevator and Century Elevator before becoming Vice President of Prestige Elevator Cab and Accessory Company in Long Island. He later worked as consultant for William Huntt and Associates before starting his own consulting company, Chester W. Callbeck and Associates for the last twelve years of his career. He was respected throughout the industry and traveled as far as Bolivia to provide elevator expertise. At one point, the elevator he built for the Gettysburg Battlefield tower was the highest free-standing elevator in the world. Chet was known as a supervisor who demanded excellence from his employees. He was also respected and loved for his kind heart and willingness to help out a friend or co-worker at any time of the day or night. To Chet, family was always of first importance. He had the good fortune to meet the love of his life, Irene Edwards Callbeck, at a church bowling league after he returned from the Navy. For 61 years they were best friends, traveling companions and dancing partners. They had three children, Pat (husband Rusty) in Helena, Montana; Carol (husband Rob) in Pasadena and Chet III (partner Louise Ahalt) in Cheltenham, Maryland. They have six grandchildren in Maryland (Erin, Ian and Carrie Sylvester and Caitlin Callbeck), Pittsburgh (Robin Harper Cowie, husband Zac Cowie) and Seattle (Molly Harper, husband Mark Haines), and two great grandchildren (Caleb and Greyson Cowie.) He was preceded in death by his parents and sister (Eleanor Callbeck Adamson.) As the Callbeck family followed Chet's career changes from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale to New York City to Pasadena, with many stops in between, Chet never let the pressures of work keep him from spending time with his family, even umpiring for the little league in which his son played. He and Irene threw large Fourth of July parties that would attract as many as 100 family and friends. Irene had to be careful what she wished for, because Chet would give her anything she wanted, regardless of finances. Chet loved the Chesapeake Bay, dogs, traveling, ice cream, the Baltimore Colts and fixing up cars. More importantly, he loved family, friends, and music. He played trombone in a dance band in high school and sang baritone in the church choir. He was a good member of the Pasadena United Methodist Church and had a strong and practical faith. At the end, when Alzheimer's took his memory from him, he still was able to pray moving and humorous prayers. A memorial service will be held at the Pasadena United Methodist Church at 1:00 pm on Friday, December 19. Interment will be at a private family cemetery. The extended Callbeck family stretches across the nation. Though we know he is finally free from the great pain of the prostate cancer that took his life, we miss him terribly and we thank God for his wonderful life.