116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Monday, June 14, 2021
Josephine 'Josie' N. (Palumbo) Callan
Age: 93
City: Norman
Funeral Home
See Obituary
Monday, June 14, 2021
Josephine 'Josie' N. (Palumbo) Callan
JOSEPHINE "JOSIE" N.
(PALUMBO) CALLAN
Topeka, Kan.
Josephine "Josie" N. (Palumbo) Callan, 93, of Norman, Okla., and formerly of Topeka, Kan., passed away on June 10, 2021, at Norman Regional Hospital in Norman, Okla., after a brief illness.
In celebration of her life, a rosary will be said at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 17, before the Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church, 5973 SW 25th St., Topeka, Kan. A graveside service will
follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, 801 SW Westchester Rd., Topeka, Kan.
Josie was born on Feb. 28, 1928, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Fred and Florence (Williams) Palumbo. She graduated from St. Patrick's High School in 1945. Josie worked for May Drug Co. in Cedar Rapids for many years before she married John Callan in 1960. John's work took them to Kansas City, then to Topeka, Kan., in 1971, where they lived most of their adult life. Josie raised her two children and worked for Kansas Fair Plan for many years in Topeka. She and John were avid Royals fans, attending many games over the years, and supporting local sports in and around Topeka. Josie was a member of Christ the King Parrish and attended daily mass until she moved to Rivermont Independent Living in Norman, Okla., in 2019 to be closer to her daughter.
Survivors include daughter, Anne (Tim) Miles of Norman, Okla.; grandson, Joseph Turner of Salina, Kan.; granddaughter, Callan (Daniel) Cioccoloni of Oxford, England; brother, Fred (Mary Ann) Palumbo of Huntley, Ill.; and niece and nephew, Diane Palumbo of St. Louis, Mo. and Dave (Maria) Palumbo of Barrington, Ill.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Callan; her son, Patrick Callan; her parents; her sisters, Rose Palumbo and Mary Ann Palumbo, BVM; and her niece, Nancy Palumbo.
Memorials in lieu of flowers are suggested to Christ the King Catholic Church, 5973 SW 25th St., Topeka, Kan.

Daily Newsletters