Obituary of Cecile (Chalifour) (O'Donnell) Callahan

Cecile Denise (Chalifour) (O’Donnell) Callahan, 88, of Peabody, died early Tuesday morning at the Shaughnessey Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital in Salem after a brief illness. She was the wife of Daniel Callahan who would have celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on August 12 and the former wife of the late Peabody mayor Phillip C. O’Donnell. She was born Salem on February 26, 1919, the daughter of the late Oscar and Mary (Martineau) Chalifour and was educated in Salem Schools graduating form Salem High in 1936. She later graduated from Burdette College in Lynn. She was first employed at the Commonwealth of Mass Health Dept for many years and later became the office manager at the Continental Restaurant in Saugus for 15 years prior to her retirement. She was very devoted to her family and enjoyed her gardening and loved to travel. Surviving her besides her husband are a daughter, Jacqueline J. O’Donnell of Salem, a son and daughter-in-law, Atty. Charles C. and Jane (Haas) O’Donnell of No Andover, her two grandchildren, Casey Jean and Kyle Phillip O’Donnell, her sisters and brothers-in-law, Dolores, Ruth and Claire Chalifour all of Marblehead, Robert and Philip Callahan of Lynn and David Callahan of Northport, FL. Helen Courtney of Danvers and Carol Mc Cormack of Lynn , her former daughter-in-law, Shelley McGuiggan of Danvers and many nieces, nephews and Martineau cousins. She was the devoted sister of the late Oscar, Jean, Charles and Arthur Chalifour, Emeline Lomelis and Mary Bacigalupo. The Callahan family thanks the entire staff of the 4th floor at Shaughnessey Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital for the wonderful care and kindnesses extended to both Cecile and her family. A visitation will be held on Thursday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 82 Lynn St., Peabody facility. Her funeral will be held on Friday at 9:00 AM at the Funeral Home followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Ann’s Church, Lynn St., Peabody at 10:00 AM. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. Expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Jude Children Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis Tn. 38105-9959 in her memory.