Contributions to the tribute of James E. McCallister

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Greg Bouchard posted a condolence

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Jim and I were friends in High School. I grew up a block away, but we never connected until the end of my 8th grade. Jim was a year ahead, but I began to play guitar then as had he and we bonded on that mutual aspiration. For a few years we were consumed with all things guitar and blindly exploring the mysteries of the great blues players; BB, Albert, Muddy, the Wolf, the Winters, Hendrix and Bloomfield along with the Brits; Eric, Jimmy and especially Jeff. We shared countless hours together listening then trying to copy on our guitars. We challenged each other to new music forms like progressive rock, Yes, ELP, Tull, Floyd, Gentle Giant and further into Jazz and fusion; Davis, Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orch. They were heady times of infinite possibilities. We dove into the gear of electric guitar too. Hanging at the Wurlitzer Music store downtown Joliet, bugging the resident guitar tech, “Ol’ Charlie” (he was only in his 40’s). One day Jim showed up with a rumpled up brown grocery bag full of what looked like a dozen mangled pieces of wood-chrome and wire. He claimed it was the remains of a very sought after 60’s Gibson Firebird guitar he bought from a jealous ex-wife of an Eastside blues musician. I thought he was nuts, but we took the bag downtown and dumped it out on the guitar tech Ol’ Charlie’s desk and asked if it could be saved. He thought a while and scooping it back into the bag said, “do not ask me about it again, I’ll let you know” two months later we got a call and Charlie put the resurrected beauty in Jim’s hands and beamed that he owed just for the parts! a seminal moment. Once Jim talked me into refinishing my first guitar a ’60 Gibson Melody Maker. We had no clue that we had just ruined its future “collector” possibilities. Also, we shared all things LP records. We spent endless hours nose deep in the giant catalogue at the Crows Nest and occasional trips to Chicago hunting down rare blues recordings. We also shared the golden age of HiFi, endlessly buying and trading many pieces of gear and always learning what was cutting edge and mostly unaffordable in the stereo world. Jim was very bright with an often acerbic wit, we were classic rebellious teens. We listened to underground humor and memorized all the riffs, W.C. Fields, Groucho, Lenny, Red Fox, Pryor, George Carlin, Firesign Theater, Monty Python. Man was it great and nobody knew what the hell we were talking about! We even went to the drive in and watched an XX rated “Dolimite” movie. Ha ha ha mother*^%$#s. For a couple of summers back then a Chicago DJ had top live concerts called the Wild Goose one venue was our domed Marycrest ice skating rink. They were 14 yrs and up and only cost like $2. We heard Ides of March, Association, CTA plus national acts; the Raiders, Guess Who, Alice Cooper, Electric Flag and many others. Early on Jim decided it would be more fun to approach on foot from the golf course side and if you timed it right when the security were at the far end you could dash from the trees and hit the eight foot tall cyclone fence –over and in. Ted Nugent and Amboy Dukes were playing. We made our move and over the fence but the 2 guards must have heard us and started for us, but we booked it to the rear where the big loading truck was parked and we slid to a stop cause Ted himself was sitting on the tail gate furiously making out with some, no doubt willing but underage groupie( years later we all learned what a pedophile he was yuck!) Just as the Andy Frains got around to nab us Ted pulled up for air and he said, “it’s ok they’re with me”. They walked away grumbling and Ted went right back to the tongue hockey. We stood there aimlessly until I noticed that Ted’s famous Byrdland guitar was laying in the open case off to the side so I stepped over and asked,” hey Ted mind if I play your guitar?” mumbling around the slobbering kissing he said, “ya fine don’t f *^% it up kid.” So I played my best dozen riffs, carefully set it back in the case and we drifted into the rink literally hi as kites. Jim was my brief but great friend for sharing all things rock’n blues and anti social -pseudo intellectual-Mad Magazine satirical life pursuits ( Jim even had that Alfed E. Neuman sneer) and yea throw in some pot, beer and girl chasing activity too. To this day, nearly 50 years later, whenever I sit in a long line of cars waiting for the turn arrow to go green and when it finally does nothing moves? I yell out the same phrase Jim always screamed. “ If you go, we can all GO!!”. He finally got to go . . . just way too soon.

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John Hoffmeyer posted a condolence

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

I grew up with Jim and the McCallister family in Marycrest. I often think back on all the sleepovers, weekend poker games, the summer camping trips, and playing guitars with Jim while Paul was banging on the drums. I could never keep up with Jim once he got going on his Fender guitar. I felt so sorry when I was told of Jim's passing and I would like to offer my sincere condolences to all of Jim's family.

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Lynn (Barnes) Ongenae posted a condolence

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Grew up in Marycrest with the McCallisters. They lived on St. Joseph, we lived on Capri. I remember sitting behind Jim for part of the year in Mrs. Ringstrom’s 6th grade class. He had a great sense of humor and I had great fun sitting by him. He will forever be 11 or 12 years old to me. Sister Ann was a good friend of my sister and I remember her very well also. My sincere condolences. I’m so sorry for your loss.

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Karen Sakowicz posted a condolence

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Rest well, my brother. There is nothing more for you to take care of. God will take it from here.

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Cyndi Vasquez-Barrios Posted May 6, 2020 at 8:54 AM

Karen, I am so sorry for the loss of the your brother. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. May God keep you and your family during this most difficult time. Cyndi Vasquez-Barrios

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Judy Kuntz posted a condolence

Saturday, November 16, 2019

This looks like the Jim that I worked with at Dept of Corrections. If I am correct, he was a great man and my heart goes out to his family.

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The family of James E. McCallister uploaded a photo

Friday, November 15, 2019

James E. "Jim" McCallister

1954 - 2019

Plant a tree in memory of James