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BRIDGEPORT -- The community is remembering John "Mayor" Callarik -- a local businessman and entrepreneur, longtime mayor, school board member and World War II veteran.
He died Thursday at age 97, leaving a deep imprint on his hometown and beyond.
Callarik owned and operated several businesses adjacent to the school campus, where he also showed his support for education. Family members were not up to providing an interview Friday, but they pointed out his many honors and recognitions from local and state entities, including his induction into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame -- all displayed at his businesses.
In addition to his role in the community as a businessman, Callarik served as mayor of the village for nearly 20 years. He also was a longtime member of the Bridgeport Exempted Village School District Board of Education and a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
According to Callarik's profile on the Ohio Department of Veteran Services site, he left high school to help support his parents and seven siblings on their farm, and as a teenager he worked for Y&O Coal, hauling coal by horse and wagon.
Michele Busic, an employee at Callarik's Double J Laundromat, was emotional when recalling him.
"He was a gem of a man. None finer," she said. "He was a remarkable human being. He was a gentleman. He was very religious. He loved his people. He was one of a kind. They broke the mold with John."
Brent Ripley, superintendent of Bridgeport schools, shared his thoughts in a text message.
"John Callarik served on the board for a number of years. He was a great board member who was always willing to get in there and put the work in to helping the district. John assisted in several projects at Perkins Field during his time as a board member. He has certainly left an impact in the Bridgeport school district," Ripley wrote.
Callarik replaced the high school football field's concession stand and lighting, developed and maintained the Little League field and also secured grant money for the district.
Bridgeport Mayor Norma Teasdale called Callarik an "inspiration."
"I'm just sorry to hear about his passing. He contributed a lot to the area and to the community, and my thoughts are with the family. May he rest in peace," she said. "I've known him for quite a long while."
Phil Wallace recalled a period from 2008-11 when he was mayor of Martins Ferry and Callarik was mayor of Bridgeport.
"We had friendship and cooperation with each other and enjoyed every minute of it. I can say one thing about John: he was a businessman and a personal friend to everybody, which was one of the biggest assets that he had," Wallace said. "We worked very well together between Martins Ferry and Bridgeport. If we needed something from down there, he would help us out. If he needed something down there, we were able to help him out."
Wallace is also a longtime member and officer of the Belmont County Democratic Party, where Callarik also had a leading role.
The Rev. John Mucha of St. Anthony's of Padua Roman Catholic Church pointed to Callarik's support of the community.
"He was a great champion of Bridgeport. He invested a lot of his own personal time and talent to help make it a good community. He was a lifelong member here at St. Anthony's," Mucha said. "He was very generous. ... He wasn't just for Bridgeport, he was for the whole area."
Callarik was also very active with his JJC & Sons Excavating Company, often seen working on project sites.
Gordie Longshaw, owner of City Advertisers printing in Bridgeport and a former Belmont County commissioner, knew Callarik personally and professionally.
"I've known John since I was a young man. I'm 75 and John's 97," he said, adding they were both businessmen and that Longshaw was a teacher the district while Callarik served on the board of education. "I've taught most of his kids. ... I know John pretty well."
He said Callarik was a hands-on participant in whatever work he undertook.
"John was a hard, hard worker and he took it on," Longshaw said. "Always ready to help, sometimes a little stubborn, but that's just John."
He recalled one time about seven years ago when Callarik broke his leg during a project on Kirkwood Heights.
"He was back to work two days later, doing the same thing. That's amazing. That's John," Longshaw said. "He wasn't afraid to work. He'd put his boots on and get in the ditch."
Callarik is survived by daughters Shirleann Murad (Jim), Sandra Davis (Gerald) and son Bruce J. Callarik (Jonni Lynn), and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Family and friends will be received 1-9 p.m. Wednesday at Wilson Funeral Home, 920 National Road, Brookside on 1-9 p.m. Wednesday. Full military honors will be presented at 9:15 a.m. Thursday with a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 630 Main St., Bridgeport, with burial to follow at Greenwood Cemetery, 1526 National Road, Wheeling.
In lieu of flowers, the family recommends memorial, monetary gifts to either the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 1100 North, Bethesda, MD 20814 or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116.