Donald Callender, Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau – 10/1/1981

Donald Callender, Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau

Donald W. Callender, Jr., age 78, died on December 3, 2019 after a month’s illness. He was born in Baltimore to Mary (Done) and Donald W. Callender, Sr. who both died in 2006. His youngest brother, John, died in 2005. He is survived by his wife, Mary C. (Mimi) Boudart; sons, Sam and Joe Callender and his brother, Tim. He is also survived by Mimi’s siblings and spouses: Kate, Sally & Dave, Chris & Jen, Jim & Nicole as well as Tim’s son Mike, cousins, nieces, nephews and many close friends and most importantly Sparky.

Don was a graduate of Haverford High School and Temple University.
He enjoyed many careers during his life. He worked as an archeologist on a University of Pennsylvania expedition to study the Maya in Tikal, Guatemala for several seasons, and on a National Geographic underwater expedition in Turkey where he met his great friend, Sam Low, underwater at 200 feet. He used those Anthropology skills to help found the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation, a living history Museum in Ridley Creek State Park. He became interested in tourism next and worked at the Delaware County Visitors’ Council and then became the first Executive Director of the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. He always liked railroads both model and steam. He turned that interest into a career as the first Executive Director of the Wilmington and Western Railroad and established many traditions there such as Christmas lights and the Great Train Robberies. His next railroad project was helping found the tourist railroad known as the West Chester Railroad with his good friends, Joe Giacchino and Skip Small. During the WCRR years he was also the primary care giver for Sam and Joe allowing Mimi to devote her full energy to her law practice. One of Don’s favorite jobs was as a tour guide at Hagley Museum. He threw himself into becoming an expert on the DuPont Family as well as the development of the DuPont Company. He even received certification to operate the steam engine at Steam School. But Don’s favorite career was as a Magistrate/Justice of the Peace, his last job. He loved learning the Delaware Criminal Code, the Rules of Evidence and everything else necessary to be a fair and effective judge. He also loved working with the JP Courts’ staff, the other judges and meeting the public.

https://www.delawarefuneral.com/memorials/donald–callender/4050035/obit.php?&printable=true

From Focus Delaware 10/1/1981

“Focus Delaware” aired on Rollins Cablevision & WNS-TV Channel 2 and WTGI Channel 61 from 1980 to 1987 and was hosted by Bob Weiner.

More info here: https://www.focusdelaware.com/