Francis Joseph “Joe” Callahan III, 78, of Manhattan, Kansas, passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025, at the Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri.
Joe was born on December 27, 1946, in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Francis Joseph Callahan II and Mary (Krouse) Callahan. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, later earned his degree from Kansas State University, and went on to operate Krouse Cattle Company as a dedicated farmer and rancher.
In 1973, Joe married Mary Virginia “Ginny” Buie, and together they shared nearly 30 years of marriage until her passing in 2002. In June 2007, he married Cheryl Marcoux. Joe and Cheryl shared a life together full of adventure, bird watching, cooking, and countless hours spent exploring the outdoors on their ATVs. A true outdoorsman, Joe found joy in hunting, fishing, trap shooting, and tending his vegetable garden. He was a life member of the National Rifle Association, an active member of the National Trappers Association, and previously involved with Pheasants Forever and Quail Unlimited.
Joe is survived by his wife of 18 years, Cheryl Callahan; his children, Patricia “Tricia” Callahan and Francis Joseph Callahan IV (Cara Beirne); and his grandchildren, Samantha, Pearl, and Violet. He is also survived by his siblings, Connie (Jeff) Richards and Tim (Nancy) Callahan; his stepchildren, Rachel Rubio (Edgar) and Lee Marcoux (Alysha); and his step-grandchildren, Gabriel and Isabel Rubio. He was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Mary Virginia “Ginny” Buie.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday morning (December 5, 2025) at 10:30 at Seven Dolars Catholic Church, 221 S. Juliette Ave. Manhattan, Kansas with Fr. Leo Blasi officiating. Burial with Military Honors will be in Cedar Creek Cemetery near Manhattan.
Visitation will be Thursday evening (December 4, 2025) from 5:00 to 7:00 at Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home, 4370 Salzer Road, Wamego, Kansas.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Flint Hills Breadbasket. Please make checks payable to Flint Hills Breadbasket and those may be left with Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home, P. O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.