Wednesday, March 17, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- Former Gov. Mike O'Callaghan was remembered Tuesday as a man of "integrity and character" who was dedicated to helping the less fortunate.
More than 200 people, many of them former cabinet members of the O'Callaghan administration in the 1970s, showed up for a Celebration of Life Mass conducted for the Las Vegas Sun executive editor and chairman of the board who died March 5.
O'Callaghan's widow, Carolyn, his sons Michael and Brian and his daughter, Colleen O'Callaghan Miele, also were present.
The Rev. Jerry Hanley, pastor of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, said the state will "never get too big to forget" O'Callaghan, who served eight years as governor before joining the Sun.
Hanley praised O'Callaghan for his advances in the field of mental health. O'Callaghan was state health and welfare director during the administrator of Gov. Grant Sawyer and "saw it (mental illness) as a disease, not as a crime," Hanley said.
He said there are tens of thousands of people in Nevada who are the beneficiaries of this approach.
Those with mental illness now have insurance coverage, thanks in part to O'Callaghan, he said.
Among those at the Mass were U.S. District Judge Howard McKibben, District Judge Mike Griffin of Carson City and retired District Judges Mike Fondi of Carson City and Norman Robison of Douglas County. Former state Sens. Lawrence Jacobsen of Minden and Virgil Getto of Fallon and former Assembly Speaker Joe Dini of Yerington also attended. Also present was Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks.
Many of his former cabinet members attended, including General Services Directors Peggy Glover and Terry Sullivan, Adjutant General Floyd Edsall, Press Secretary Bob Stewart, Gaming Control Board member Jack Stratton, Employment Security Department Director Stan Jones, Highway Safety Coordinator John Borda, state Printer Don Bailey, Budget Director Howard Barrett and tourism chief Daryl Monahan, who delivered the eulogy.
Monahan said O'Callaghan "was a great man to work with," and "if he asked you a question, don't try to snow him."
Others attending included Jack Davis, former president of the Western Nevada Community College, and casino owners John Ascuaga of Sparks and Clark Russell of Carson City. Russell's father, Charles, was a former governor and he and O'Callaghan spent many hours together talking about government. O'Callaghan delivered the eulogy at Gov. Russell's funeral.
Hanley praised Carolyn O'Callaghan, saying she was one of the reasons he decided to come to Carson City after being ordained in the East. He said he was visiting a friend in Carson City and they went to the governor's mansion. Mike wasn't home but Carolyn invited them in, offered them soft drinks and beer and gave them a full tour of the mansion.
"She is wonderfully well-respected," Hanley said.
Colleen O'Callaghan Miele said, "My dad showed me how to live, fight and forgive." She said he also showed her how to care for people.
Michael O'Callaghan said his father had a "deep compassion for folks." Michael read a commendation given to his father while he was a sergeant in Korea. The future governor had rescued some troops and was wounded with bullets and shrapnel.
Michael O'Callaghan said even after his father lost his leg he still planned to go to officer candidate school. Michael O'Callaghan also said his dad once told him that the greatest pain were not the wounds in Korea but his father's death.
Hanley said the late Jimmy Chartz, a mentally retarded man in his 70s who had the mind of a 6-year-old, was an example of O'Callaghan's compassion for the little people. O'Callaghan would often visit Chartz in his home. And Chartz was welcomed at the governor's office.
When Chartz wanted to be in a musical band, O'Callaghan got him a band uniform. When the mentally retarded man wanted cymbals, the governor came through.
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