James William Callison

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 James William Callison, age 77 of Lexington, OK, passed away Sunday, December 19, 2021. He was surrounded by his loved ones, in the serene peace of his farm, as he finished the race. He held tight to his faith in Jesus, as he was welcomed into heaven. James is also lovingly known as Jim, Bill, Billy, Coach, and Santa. Jim was born November 20, 1944, in Claremore, OK, the 2nd of 5 children born to Vernon William Callison and Ellen Rose (Bickham) Callison. He spent his early years in Cleveland, OK, before moving to Holdenville, OK. While in high school, he was captain of the football team, graduating with the Class of 1963. From there Jim went on to the University of Oklahoma, where he played on the freshman football team. By chance, at a campus ministry event at the Baptist Student Union, he met a beautiful young lady named Jane McNeely. They fell in love and were married on August 12, 1967, in Broken Arrow, OK. He later graduated from OU with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. They first made their home in Norman, OK, before moving to Minneapolis, followed by four years in Kansas City. In 1973, they settled back in Norman, where they raised their children: daughter, Eleanor, and sons, James, Stephen, and Nathan. Jim was a proud father, and coached various sports teams for his children. Whether it was basketball, baseball or soccer, Jim leveraged this great opportunity to spend time with his kids, all while instilling valuable life lessons to the players. Jim worked for Control Data Corporation, and spent more than 45 years as a computer engineer. He was part of the launch of the Information Age, working on cutting edge computer technology for decades. By 2011, the Callisons had settled near Lexington and Jim started his own hay farm. He was a man of great faith and a member of First Baptist Church in Norman. He stayed active in ministry, not only in his local church, but also with the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief team and the Union Baptist Association Builders. He was an incredible servant of Jesus, generous with his time, money, and talents, and he never hesitated to help with a project. He had a way of believing in people who were in a hard spot in life. He was a listening ear to many, and made friends everywhere he went. He was an incurable tinkerer, able to fix just about anything and having a use for everything. He also was known as a beloved roadie for the Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma, of which Jane is a member. Jim cherished Jane and their children, and nothing made him happier than being Grandpa. He was known for being silly and playful, and also sneaking bites of treats to his grandkids, much to the consternation of their mothers. It was not uncommon for him to be seen on the 4-wheeler, piled high with grandkids, touring the farm. He will be dearly missed! He was preceded in death by: his grandson, Psalm Callison, and his parents, VW and Ellen Callison. Jim is survived by his wife, Jane, of the home; daughter, Eleanor Bean and husband Rusty of Washington DC; his boys, James Callison of Tulsa, Stephen Callison of Lexington, and Nathan Callison and wife Amanda of Kiefer, OK; sister, Sharron Sneed of Tishomingo; brothers, Tom Callison of Holdenville, David Callison and wife Debbie of Yukon, and Phil Callison and wife Lanette of Madill; 15 grandchildren, Kylie, Cyrus, Isabella, Gunnar, and Elias Bean of Washington, DC; Nivelle (Callison) Brockett and husband Tate; and Erin, Aleeza, Eliana, Ezekiel, Berea, Josephine, Frank, Mitchell, and Ruth Callison, with one more on the way; one great grandchild on the way; several nieces and nephews and a host of other family and friends. Celebration of Life Memorial Services are scheduled for 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, December 28, 2021, at First Baptist Church in Norman. Send online condolences @ www.wilsonlittle.com.

James William Callison

November 20, 1944 - December 19, 2021