Francis Edward McCall

Francis McCall died on May 6,2020 at age 93 in San Francisco. He was the third son of Harry and Martha McCall, a family of four boys and two girls, born and raised in Fairmont, Minnesota. He was widowed in 1992, after 36 years marriage to dear wife Jeri McCall. There were no children. He is survived by his sister, Helen Portmann , (Jim) ,14 nieces and nephews, and 13 grand nieces and nephews. Also survived by two very dear friends, Mike and Lorrie Larbre, who were as close to family as a man could ever hope to have.

He graduated from Fairmont High School in 1944. He proudly served in WWII from 1944 to 1946 in the US Navy on an Escort Carrier, USS Hollandia, for 13 months. He then spent 2 years at the University of Minnesota and 1 year at Jewells Detective School in Seattle, WA. Following school, he worked in Minneapolis as a store detective for 1 year.

In 1951, he went sailing on the Great Lakes as a merchant seaman and spent the next 20 years sailing all over the world. He earned a Class A Book with the Seafarers International Union as a Union Organizer in the early 50’s. In 1971, he changed careers once more and went to work for the Mercedes-Benz dealership in San Francisco, until he retired in 1993. He then became a volunteer crewmember on the S/S Jeremiah O’Brien, a restored WWII Liberty Ship, berthed at Pier 45, at Fisherman’s Wharf. He always referred to it as a labor of love. He was an avid golfer, learning the game in Fairmont, as a 12 year old caddy. He was a member of the Harding Park Golf Club until his death. He had lived in San Francisco since 1954 and found this a perfect place for a Liberal Democrat and a Union man to his soul. His life was good as he followed his own compass and walked to his own drummer. Services will be held at a future date. Memorial donations may be made to the National Liberty Ship Memorial S/S Jeremiah O’Brien, 45 Pier, Suite 4A, San Francisco, CA 94133.