John Newton McCall, “Jack”, age 90, died April 9, 2015 at home after a short illness.
He was born August 7, 1924, with twin brother Thomas, to Frank and Harriet Wells McCall in Raleigh, NC. From age 2 to 17, he grew up in Presbyterian Children’s Home, Barium Springs, NC.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Virginia “Ginger” (Kohler) McCall. Other survivors include children Carolyn Catalano (Joe) and Elizabeth “Libby” Levin (Eric), both of Edwardsville, and Todd McCall (Judith), of Port Greville, Nova Scotia; grandchildren Erik Meyer, Nora Meyer, Ryan Tarazi (Kelsey), Andrea Levin; and great-grand-daughter Pura Larson.
He is predeceased by his parents, siblings Marian Kleckley, Edward “Ed”, Willard “Bill”, Thomas “Tom” McCall, and granddaughter Bryony Meyer.
He served in World War II as a Weather Observer in the U.S. Army Air Force. Station assignments included bases in west Texas (Pyote) and Okinawa.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; his master’s degree in Counseling from Columbia University in New York City; and his PhD in Psychology from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Jack held teaching positions at Emory University, Atlanta, GA; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA; and State University of New York at Buffalo, NY. The last 25 years of his academic career were at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, from which he retired in 1989 as Emeritus Professor.
His published research focused on psychological test validation, birth order differences, and the effects of orphanage experience on growing children.
An active bird watcher, Jack logged more than 1000 different bird species, seen across the US from Hawaii to Alaska and Texas and beyond (Australia, New Zealand, Central America, and Western Europe.)
A long-time member of the Great Rivers Chapter, Illinois Audubon Society and Piasa Palisades Group, Sierra Club, he gave much of his time to wildlife conservation, including service on the Illinois Audubon Society Board of Directors.
He also volunteered at the Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge in Calhoun County and the Watershed Nature Center in Edwardsville, including serving on the Watershed board.
In addition, he held leadership roles in the First Unitarian Church of Alton. A memorial service will be held on April 19th, 2015 at the First Unitarian Church of Alton, 110 East 3rd Street (3rd& Alby) at 3:00pm. Memorials can be made in Jack’s name to the Watershed Nature Center, PO Box 843, Edwardsville IL, 62025.
Condolences may be expressed online at weberfuneralhome.com.
Published by Edwardsville Intelligencer from Apr. 13 to Apr. 17, 2015.