Michael Phillips Callahan, Sr., 79, of North Reading, MA passed away at his home on Tuesday October 24, 2023.

A quiet, discerning, and caring man, Michael will be missed not only by family, but also by many long-term friends and colleagues. It is likely his quick wit and wry sense of humor that will be particularly missed. Michael considered many lifelong friends as extensions of his family.  He was generous with his time and was quick to respond to any request, artistic, personal, and the many “can you help me figure out how to make this work”.

Michael was an artist at heart, working primarily in the design and construction of interactive, multimedia installations, products, and events. His work has been shown in a variety of venues, primarily throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. He is listed, by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, as well as other places, as an American Artist.

Self-taught in electronics, in his late teens Michael became the Technical Director of the San Francisco Tape Music Center, a collective of classically trained composers exploring the options and effects of electronic manipulations on audio recordings and live performances. The Tape Center became a gathering place for other musicians and  notable figures of the 1960s San Francisco “scene.” The Tape Center group continues to meet weekly on Zoom.

In 1963 Michael  collaborated with the poet Gerd Stern to present Who R U? and What’s Happening at the San Francisco Museum of Art. The performance, considered to be one of the first multimedia live art events, featured a mix of recorded sound and slide projections with live audio and closed-circuit television capturing conversations with four chosen panels of local politicians, journalists, and other “known” San Francisco-ites. The partnership with Stern would become a lifelong collaboration.

Michael made the move  to New York in 1964 to become one of the founding members of the visionary multimedia art collective, USCO (Us Company or Company of Us). His position was to oversee the technical aspects of the group’s work. Much of their work was based on an attempt to demonstrate the effects of media and the changes to come

in societal communication. USCO’s prescient artworks demonstrated early concepts such as instantaneous mass messaging, or multiple messages and images sharing the same space and time such as we are now accustomed to seeing today on CNN and MSNBC. A number of these ideas were derived from the writings of media theorist Marshall McLuhan. The USCO community is credited as having had a major impact on the development of multimedia, intermedia, installation, and immersive/environmental art, as well as the internet. Their work site was an old church in Rockland County, New York. Based on USCO’s presence, the church is now listed on the National Register of Historical Places. USCO’s artistic contributions have been featured in numerous exhibitions and countless publications like Life magazine. Their artwork is in several museum collections including the National Gallery of Art.

In 1967, Michael and several other members of USCO joined together with a group from the Harvard Business School to form Intermedia Systems Corporation. The company’s intent was to use new media to present and expand management training concepts, such as those related to “organizational climate.” They worked with large government and business clients as well as entertainment venues, such as the Woodstock Festival.

In the early 1970s, Michael branched out to form his own company, Callahan Associates, Inc., which focused primarily on technical products employed in new-media performances and exhibits. In 1976 he accepted an appointment at Harvard University as Supervisor of Film Studies and Electrical Engineer at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts. He remained at Harvard for 17 years, leaving in 1993 to expand his previous company to focus on the design and manufacturing of audio-visual equipment to meet the specialized needs of museums and other institutions offering electronic media in public spaces. Clients of Museum Technology Source, Inc. range from larger organizations such as the National Park Service and Sony Corporation of America to smaller venues such as museums and historical sites.

Michael leaves his loving family; his wife of 51 years, Adrienne (Siebrecht); his son Michael Phillips Callahan, Jr., and his wife Katherine (Remelt); his daughter Sierra Edith Callahan and her husband Aaron Michael Abrams; his grandson Otis William Abrams; and his sister Jessie Patricia Callahan Wood.

Donations in memory of Michael would be greatly appreciated and can be sent to either: The Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, 2041 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 or Rosie’s Place 889 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Jeffrey Richard Powell, 65, of Claremore, Oklahoma passed away suddenly on Tuesday, October 24^th, 2023. Jeff was born April 11^th, 1958 to Richard Hugh Powell and Betty Jean (Marino) Powell in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He graduated from Boxboro High School and enlisted in the Air Force in 1976, ending his four years as a Sergeant, serving in Guam then North Dakota. When he returned to civilian life in Massachusetts in 1980, he joined the up-and-coming computer industry and became a self-taught software engineer. He married the love of his life, Laurie Ann (Crowe) in 1985. They met through music, cowriting songs and recorded several albums together. Their five children grew up participating in their music as well as the adventures they found in life.

A problem-solver always interested in improving processes, Jeff proved himself invaluable to the companies he worked for, including in a move to Yonezawa, Japan with NEC. After four years of exploring the country as well as serving with Kojo Church, he settled with his family in Oklahoma. His heart for the less fortunate showed up in both family hospitality and working trips like helping rebuild earthquake-struck Nepal.

Losing his wife Laurie Ann to cancer in February of 2023 after two years of prioritizing her care broke his heart. He was a staunch supporter of his loved ones in all their passion projects as well as building improvements for the world around him, and is already dearly missed.

He is survived by his sister Janice Baldrate; his children Bethany, Daniel, Rebecca, Benjamin and Elijah Powell, in addition to their partners; his cousins and extended family. His memorial was held on November 4^th at Croswell Funeral Home in North Reading.

Marion “Pudgie” (Cole) Hobby – 85, of North Reading passed away peacefully on October 29, 2023 with her loving family by her side. Pudgie, as she was affectionately known since childhood, was the loving wife of Harrie R. “Bobby” Hobby for 67 years.

A lifelong resident of North Reading, she could always be found in the company of her high school sweetheart, Bobby. In younger years she cheered on his softball team or could be found helping out at a Knights of Columbus function. Always together, If you saw one, you knew the other was not far off.

Pudgie loved the outdoors and was often seen on her daily walks around her home on Martin’s Pond. She loved working in her garden and taking care of any stray animal that might cross her path. She was the neighborhood mom who took all the kids on adventure walks in the woods when her children were growing up.

In recent years, Bobby and Pudgie spent winters in Bradenton, Florida. They enjoyed the warm Florida weather with friends and family visits. Pudgie loved swimming in the ocean and strolling on the beach searching for shells to add to her collection.

Pudgie was a devoted grandmother to her four grandchildren. She loved attending all of their activities and was a constant presence in their lives. Always fun, energetic and full of life, there was nothing like a sleepover at Nanny’s. She was so loved. Sadly, she never had the opportunity to know her great grandchildren, but the love that she had for her family will be passed down to them through stories and happy memories of her life.

She is survived by her daughter Debra Skerry and her husband Daniel, her sons Richard Hobby and his partner Laurie Phinney, and Andrew Hobby. She is predeceased by her daughter Linda Hobby. Loving Nanny to Alexandra Apito and her husband Bryan, Megan Skerry and her husband Vinny Valant, Ellis Hobby and Kyle Hobby. She was also the great grandmother to Elliott, Nico, Martin and Quinn.

Friends and family are welcome to visiting hours at Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Sunday November 5, 2023 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  A Funeral Mass celebrating Pudgie’s life will be held at St Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street in North Reading on Monday November 6, 2023 at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/ or Northeast Animal Shelter, Salem MA. Northeast Animal Shelter

www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Paul W. Eisenhaure. -August 22, 1947 – October 19, 2023

Survived by his loving wife Katherine, of Tewksbury, his sons Thomas and Jeffrey, and two grandchildren. He was the youngest of five born to Stephen and Florence (Scott) Eisenhaure, and was predeceased by his siblings Philip, Dolly, Kenneth, and Isabelle. He died at home following a long illness.

Paul grew up in North Reading on his family’s farm on Haverhill St, which he loved and maintained a connection to throughout his life. He was a graduate of North Reading High School, 1965, where he met Katherine LaPerche; they were married in 1970. He earned B.A History and M.A Education degrees from Suffolk University, then pursued a career teaching history, math, and computers in the Boston Public Schools.

Paul had a romantic mind. He spent many happy summer days and nights with family and friends aboard a succession of sailboats that he built or enhanced throughout his life. He kept ship’s logs describing his sailing adventures in detail, frequently adding careful illustrations, hand-drawn maps, and original poems. In his later years he found joy in restoring antique cars and sharing his knowledge with others at local shows.

He is fondly remembered for his wit, humor, patience, imagination, and skill. He loved puns and wordplay, and we suspect that he enjoyed the eye rolls that he generated as much as he did the laughs. He loved to learn, and he loved to explain. He derived great satisfaction from thoughtfully crafting things of all types, whether they be another beautiful piece of furniture for his home, the newest prop for his intricate American Flyer train layout, a lesson plan for his students, a treehouse for his kids, or the perfect joke for anyone who would listen. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on November 10, 11:30 am, at 6 Westland Drive, Tewksbury.

Richard A. Mullen – 66, of North Reading, passed away on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington.

Born in Winthrop, MA on July 22,1957. He was the son of the late Richard H. and Gloria E. (Sias) Mullen. He was a graduate of the Northeast Regional Metropolitan Vocational High School. He later received his Associate Degree’s both from Johnson and Wales and Northern Essex Community College. Rick has been a resident of North Reading for over forty years and was member of St. Theresa’s Church.

He was a Chef for the New England Life Insurance Company. He could talk to anybody, anywhere, about anything. He loved collecting and selling coins, Civil War Tokens and he loved cooking.

Family members include his loving wife of   41   years, Valerie J. (Sheehan); his daughter, Amanda L. Mullen his son, Scott D. Mullen and his brother, James J. Mullen and his wife Kathy, sister-in-law Maureen A. Sheehan and many nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, October 20 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the Charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com