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Jeffrey Callister - NFA - Teacher

Submitted by Fran Olson Gustafson 1965 <fgustafson917@gmail.com> on 01/Feb/2025
71.223.151.135

Jeffrey Cartland Callister of Newburgh, NY

The world has lost a mensch. Everyone he touched was enriched by it and never forgot him. I met him on my first day at college, and told my roommates I was going to marry him. It took a year of chasing him till he caught me!

Jeff was born in Brooklyn, NY to Kenneth and Virginia (Rogers) Callister and raised in Patterson, NY. His stories of bog stomping, cow tipping, putting vodka in bird baths and tipping over an outhouse or two made us all laugh at the mischievous boy who evolved into an enchanting man.

After graduating from SUNY New Paltz in 1965, Jeff started his first job as an Earth Science and geology teacher at Newburgh Free Academy. It was only his only full time job, and he retired in 1998 after 35 years of opening the eyes of his students to the beauty of this world and our Earth. He taught additional classes in Earth Science under the auspices of SUNY New Paltz at a series of local prisons during the 70's. He truly enjoyed his "captive" audiences. His professional colleagues called him a "Giant of Earth Science" whose contributions to science education were enormous. Primarily, he authored the Brief Review in Earth Science (a Regents review book) in 1972. And every year after, for 52 years, he and his publisher put out a newer, updated edition. A brand new edition is to be published for the new Earth Science curriculum by the end of 2025. This book has sold over TWO MILLION COPIES. Additionally, Jeff was responsible for over 40 professional articles in a series of Earth Science magazines and publications. This was always a labor of love.

Our house is a virtual mineral museum! Jeff never saw a rock he didn't need for his collection, and not a room in our house is lacking a mineral/rock display. This trend also dots the surrounding
landscape which is like a rockhound's heaven. His other love was his home on a cliff above the Hudson where he watched the sun rise over Mount Beacon each morning. Feeding the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, wild turkeys and even the skunks who visited daily brightened his window on the world in the playroom. He relished the view of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge and being able to see Bannerman's Island was a great joy. His love of Earth was further shown in his many gardens of wildflowers, bushes, raspberry patches as well as his patio pot garden along the edge of the forgotten and long-gone clay tennis court he had built by himself and a few friends in 1974.

Then there is family. Jeff passed holding the hands of his wife of 62 years at his side. He had been taken ill in October, 2024, and never regained his strength. It was devastating to watch him weaken and not know what to do next and where or how to be cured. But COPD/Emphysema is a vicious killer with no cure. He is survived by his wife Angie (Florence), his sister-in-law Caren(Mike) Doherty, his daughter Brigitte Armstrong, her husband Phillip and children Zelda and Thor. He was most closely bonded to his grandchildren Elise Delgado, her fiancee Jenna Mill, and Jarreyn Lee who all joined him for family dinner most Sundays. He relied heavily on them to complete tasks that his 81 year old body didn't allow any more. Jarreyn especially did all
the heavy lifting. Also special was his son-in-law, Junior Lee, who had been married to his daughter Julianne Callister https://www.nfayearbooks.com/mboard3/msg/5217.html who predeceased him. Junior was always the first to come and help and comfort.

His friends were also essential to him, and he thrived on his outings with them and his twice monthly breakfast with his former colleagues - all retired teachers from NFA. Additionally there are the innumerable friends he made through all his professional science organizations (numbering over 10). They will miss his smile, his silly jokes, his humility, his honesty and his brilliant observations.

Visitation will be at Brooks Funeral Home on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 4 to 7 pm. On Saturday, February 8, 2025, we will meet at the funeral home at 10 am and then drive to the burial site at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Newburgh, NY. which will complete the ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, donations to a local food bank or the World Central Kitchen in his name would be appreciated. Jeff firmly believed that no one should go hungry. - March 14, 1943 ~ January 31, 2025 A Memorial Visitation will be held on Friday February 7, 2025, at Brooks Funeral Home, 481 Gidney Ave, Newburgh from 4PM to 7PM. A funeral procession will begin at 10AM Saturday February 8, 2025, at Brooks Funeral Home with Internment at Cedar Hill Cemetery at 11AM.