Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

Bud Callaham served Worland as police officer, council member and businessman

WORLAND - Floyd "Bud" Callaham served the citizens of Worland as a council member for more than 10 years, stepping down from this third term in July due to health reasons. Callaham passed away on Monday.

Callaham, who also served Washakie County as a 4-H leader and as an officer with the Worland Police Department, was first elected to the council in November 2006, after accepting a write-in nomination following the August 2006 primary election. He was re-elected in 2010 and again in 2014.

In his resignation letter to Mayor Jim Gill, Callaham wrote, "It has come to that point in my life that I feel like I am not doing you, nor other city council members, nor the people who elected me to Ward 2 any favors by staying on the council. My health issues and the number of times I'm attending is not in the council's nor Ward 2's best interest, therefore I'm submitting this resignation at this time. I have enjoyed the years I have been able to serve on the council, and the people of Ward 2. Thank you for letting me serve as long as I have."

According to interviews with the Northern Wyoming Daily News during the 2010 and 2014 elections, Callaham expressed a desire to see Worland grow. In 2014, Callaham said he enjoyed the job and that he made himself accessible around town on a near-daily basis.

Floyd Earl Callaham was born on April 19, 1938, to Emery and Helen Callaham and attended school in Banner County and Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

According to his wife Sherry, when he was younger he enjoyed running farm equipment and playing the saxophone, which he did at dances.

After high school, graduating in 1957, he went to Lincoln, Nebraska, to race horses, and then eventually began working in the road construction business. The road construction business brought him to Wyoming and eventually to Evanston where he met Sherry in 1960 and a few months later the couple wed. In addition to road construction he also worked at a service station and then began working for the Evanston Police Department. The couple had a child who died in 1963 and in 1966 they moved to Worland with Callaham starting work for the WPD.

REMEMBERING BUD

Mayor Gill said Tuesday, "Bud wasn't just a colleague who I associated with regarding city business, but he was a friend of mine first and foremost. He was always a councilman you could count on."

He added, "Bud was a 4-H horse leader when I first came to serve as the University Extension Agent here in Washakie County in 1976. He and Jerry Cook helped many a boy and girl acquire the horsemanship skills required to be competitive at the county and state fair horse shows. They were always very proud of their efforts to help the kids 'make the best, better.'"

According to Bud's wife Sherry, Callaham served as a 4-H leader until their daughter completed all her eligible years in 4-H.

Gill said, "There wasn't a home to be bought in Worland when Connie and I first moved here. Things were booming. Any way, it was Bud and Sherry to the rescue. They let us store our meager belongings in their garage until we had a home built. I could go on and on about the goodness of Mr. Callaham. He will be missed by many of us in the area! Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

He added, "Bud, the key to the city is yours my friend."

Former Mayor Dave Duffy said, "He was very dedicated to the city and to his ward." Duffy said he worked with Callaham as a fellow council member and later when Duffy served as mayor.

"He was a good man. He will be missed," he said.

Duffy said despite his health issues, Callaham was committed to serving on the council and made most of the meetings.

As a council member he said Callaham worked hard representing the people in Ward 2. "If there was something of interest to his ward he was not above going and knocking on doors and talking to people."

He enjoyed working for the city and being on the council. Bud was fun to work with, took his time on the council very seriously. Always had an opinion and was good to give us some different slants.

Gill and Duffy both remember Callaham's willingness to serve the community, literally, cooking up burgers for Hunter Fest and he and Sherry cooking up breakfast when the council had an appreciation breakfast for the city employees. He also helped cook and serve during the Chamber Appreciation Dinner.

Duffy said he remembers Callaham's love of old cars and pickups. "He had several old cars that he'd rebuilt and made hot rods out of some and a pickup he worked hard on. He used them in the parades a number of times."

Sherry Callaham said he rebuilt two 1946 pickups, a 1941 Ford and 1955 Chevy. His love of cars also prompted him to open Bud's Polish and Detail in Worland.

"He was just a good guy," Duffy said.

Worland Chief of Police Gabe Elliott said Callaham was a "great man. He was definitely a great person to have in the community. Bud's the type of guy he always tried to do what was right for the city of Worland while he was a council member.

"Our thoughts and prayers definitely go out to the family. Bud's going to be missed. He was a great guy."

Keith Gentzler served with Callaham first in the Worland Police Department and then in later years on the council.

"He was just a straight up guy," Gentzler said. "What you saw is what you got. You could always rely on him."

He said when he was on the police department if there were problems somewhere Callaham would be right there with you.

"He had a lot of good common sense. He was an experienced officer when I was a rookie and he taught me a lot. I had a lot of respect for him, I still do," Gentzler said.

He said Bud and his wife Sherry were personal friends that he admired.

"When I served on council ... his experience was just unbeatable. I just don't have enough good things to say about Bud Callaham."

"The community lost a very good partner and friend. He's going to be missed," Gentzler said.

Bud is survived by his wife Sherry, his daughter Sandi, two granddaughters, two great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters.

Funeral services for Bud, who was 79, will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center in Worland with visitation today at 7 p.m. at Bryant Funeral Home.

Burial will be in the Evanston Cemetery at 2 p.m., Monday, Dec. 4, 2017.