A Tribute to Paul Callanan

Paul Callanan was a veteran of World War II, a trustee of the Canton Public Library for 13 years and served as both a teacher and vice principal at Canton High School.

But to generations of Canton children, Callanan, who passed away January 16, was Santa Claus. For nearly 30 years, they waited in line to see him — the little boy clutching his Christmas list, the trio of sisters wearing taffeta dresses and shiny patent leather shoes, the tiny baby sleeping on his mother’s shoulder as his big sister peeked around the corner, hoping to get a glimpse of the magic.

Because magic was exactly what happened when Santa arrived, his voice booming through the library as he made his way to the chair in front of the fireplace where he sat for as long as it took to visit with each child.

One after another, they approached him. The little boy who confidently jumped onto Santa’s lap and reported that he had been very good — most of the time. The little girl with chubby fingers splayed across her face, not at all convinced she could even look at this big man in a red suit — never mind sit on his lap and share her secrets. But she did. And he listened. He always did. “This may have been the forum where he honed his impressive listening skills,” his family wrote in his obituary.

They also wrote that, “he loved life, he loved to laugh, he loved his friends and he loved his family.”

He also loved children — and they seemed to know it. Which is why so many who visited him at the Canton library when they were small brought their own children back so many years later. “He was the sparkle in our Christmas,” Children’s Room Librarian Ann Woodman said this week.

She was right.

Paul Callanan will be missed.

By Beth Erickson, Editor-in-Chief

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Jan 23 2013. Filed under Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.