Courtesy of Philipstown.info (Oct. 27, 2013):
John A. Calabro, Jr., of Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on July 9, 2013, while visiting family with his wife Angela in Anna Maria Island, Fla. He was 67. John was a colonel, United States Army; Ph.D.; and senior vice president and chief operating officer of the West Point Association of Graduates.
Born to John and Frances (Yonkauski) Calabro of Forest Hills, N.Y., Jan. 14, 1946, John had been a beloved resident and faithful leader in the Hudson Valley since 1978. A 1963 graduate of Xavier High School in New York City, John went on to graduate from West Point with the Class of 1968. He was commissioned into the U.S. Army, subsequently serving in Vietnam, where he was decorated for valor. Soon thereafter he was selected to join the faculty of the United States Military Academy's Department of English. He would earn advanced degrees from Columbia University (M.A.) and the University of Virginia (Ph.D.), teach at the University of Nijmegen in The Netherlands, and rise to the rank of full professor on the West Point faculty. He became a cherished and highly esteemed mentor and teacher for thousands of cadets and fellow faculty members.
Following John's retirement from the military, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. Notably, he served for seven years as the vice president for alumni support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In this role John was known for his sympathetic, innovative, and efficient management of the association's support for classes, West Point societies, and individual graduates. Since 2007 John had served as second-in-command at the association, personally guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the association's secretary.
An accomplished writer, watercolorist, gourmet cook, and musician, John Calabro was also a fine athlete, maintaining a lifelong devotion to fitness. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, N.Y., and service on the Putnam History Museum (then known as Putnam County Historical Society) board, including tenure as its president. A ceaseless learner, John was truly a Renaissance man; in recent months he had undertaken a program to teach himself Italian. At West Point, during the years since his retirement, John continued to teach English and literature lessons as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty.
John is survived by his wife of 32 years, Angela (Manali) Calabro; their son, Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; grandchildren: Joseph, Jake, and Jackson; John's sisters: Mary Calabro of Aiken, S.C., and Lori Berg of Yorktown Heights, N.Y.; and countless cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitations will be at Quigley Bros. Funeral Home, 337 Hudson Street, Cornwall-on-Hudson. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, July 17. Memorial Services at West Point, the Cadet Chapel, will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 18.
Upon hearing the news of the passing of Col. John Calabro, the Putnam History Museum shared its profound sadness on the loss of one of its former museum presidents. William Hicks, current museum president, stated: "John Calabro was a brave soldier, an esteemed educator, a loyal friend, and a good man in the best sense of the word. The museum board and staff are heartbroken and extend our condolences to John's family and friends."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Anthony Calabro Jr., was that rarest of creatures, a Soldier and a philosopher, an accomplished Army officer who loved art, music, literature, poetry, history, and ultimately golf. He also appreciated good food and was an admirer of fine spirits, both human and distilled.
John was the quintessential Renaissance man. He was a writer, cook, musician, tennis and squash player, and passionate golfer. He was also a talented painter. Most of all, John was a gifted teacher, inspiring a generation of cadets and young officers to think and to express themselves clearly and concisely. It also is the case that John was voted by the female cadets of a certain USMA class as the sexiest man alive when they were cadets.
Born to John and Frances Calabro of Forest Hills, NY, John attended Fordham University for a year before arriving at West Point on Jul 1, 1964, with the other members of the Class of 1968. John's gift for the English language was evident from his very first days on the Hudson. He was a terrific writer, even then, and he had an unabashed passion for the language that was his hallmark for his entire life. It was also then that his classmates learned of John's irreverent sense of humor and his remarkable gift for both satire and editorial cartooning. The cadet literary magazine was called The Pointer, and John was an early and frequent contributor, ultimately serving as Editor in Chief during First Class year. His editorial cartoons were masterful at lampooning the various indignities that were inflicted on the Corps by the powers that be. Not surprisingly, the powers that be were not amused. Consequently, John was always in trouble for his insightful and satirical depictions of cadet life. John retained those powers of observation and his delicious sense of humor all his life.
After graduation, commissioning as a Field Artillery officer, and marriage to Virginia Winters, John had a short tour in Germany, followed by a long tour in Vietnam, where he won two Bronze Stars. Selected to teach in the English Department, John attended Columbia University, where his voracious appetite for learning led to him to take courses in advanced German, philosophy, and history along with his heavy doses of American and British literature. After completing his master's degree, John joined the West Point faculty and began what became his life-long commitment to the institution.
After he finished his faculty tour, John returned to the field Army in Germany. While there, he was selected to become a member of the senior military faculty in the Department of English. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and then returned to the English Department, where he served until his retirement in 1998, having achieved the rank of both full colonel and full professor.
It was in his capacity as a senior faculty member that John influenced the intellectual and professional development of a generation of cadets and officers. He brought to his responsibilities a passion for his subject, to be sure, but he also brought his passion for life, working to instill in his students at least a little of the inquisitiveness and intellectual curiosity that made him so special. What was most amazing about John was the breadth of his intellectual interests. He always brought penetrating insights into a bewildering variety of issues, so one could never be sure where a conversation with John might lead.
Most of all, John was devoted to his family: Angela, his wife of 32 years whom he married in 1981, their son Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; and grandchildren Joseph, Jake, and Jackson. It was clear that Angela was the light of John's life. He literally beamed when he talked about her. That light never went out. John was devoted to Angela and his sons, and he never tired of telling stories about his two boys, and then, of course, his grandchildren.
Following John's retirement from the Army, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. He served for seven years as the Vice President for Alumni Support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In 2007, John became the first Chief Operating Officer at the Association, guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the Association's secretary.
John's love for West Point and the Hudson Valley was boundless. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, NY, and service on the Putnam County Historical Board. Unable to leave the classroom behind, in 1999 John volunteered to teach English and literature as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty. His continuing contributions led to his appointment as the first Emeritus Professor of English in the Department's history.
John Calabro was the most complete person I have ever known. His range of interests was almost limitless. Yet, for all his extraordinary talents, he was at root a gentle and kind human being: brilliant but not arrogant; humble but not shy; determined but not overbearing; loving but not naïve; passionate but not intolerant.
The French historian Christophe Prochasson once defined the "music of history" as the capacity to contemplate tomorrows that sing. While John would never allow himself to be classified as an historian, he did in fact inspire a generation of cadets and faculty to imagine a future that was filled with promise, that would be, most of all, a just and civil society, in short, an endless procession of tomorrows that sing.
The songs won't be as rich and joyful without John, but they will be there just the same, made possible by his lifelong devotion to his family, to his students, and to his country.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates, 2014 TAPS
John A. Calabro, Jr., of Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on July 9, 2013, while visiting family with his wife Angela in Anna Maria Island, Fla. He was 67. John was a colonel, United States Army; Ph.D.; and senior vice president and chief operating officer of the West Point Association of Graduates.
Born to John and Frances (Yonkauski) Calabro of Forest Hills, N.Y., Jan. 14, 1946, John had been a beloved resident and faithful leader in the Hudson Valley since 1978. A 1963 graduate of Xavier High School in New York City, John went on to graduate from West Point with the Class of 1968. He was commissioned into the U.S. Army, subsequently serving in Vietnam, where he was decorated for valor. Soon thereafter he was selected to join the faculty of the United States Military Academy's Department of English. He would earn advanced degrees from Columbia University (M.A.) and the University of Virginia (Ph.D.), teach at the University of Nijmegen in The Netherlands, and rise to the rank of full professor on the West Point faculty. He became a cherished and highly esteemed mentor and teacher for thousands of cadets and fellow faculty members.
Following John's retirement from the military, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. Notably, he served for seven years as the vice president for alumni support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In this role John was known for his sympathetic, innovative, and efficient management of the association's support for classes, West Point societies, and individual graduates. Since 2007 John had served as second-in-command at the association, personally guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the association's secretary.
An accomplished writer, watercolorist, gourmet cook, and musician, John Calabro was also a fine athlete, maintaining a lifelong devotion to fitness. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, N.Y., and service on the Putnam History Museum (then known as Putnam County Historical Society) board, including tenure as its president. A ceaseless learner, John was truly a Renaissance man; in recent months he had undertaken a program to teach himself Italian. At West Point, during the years since his retirement, John continued to teach English and literature lessons as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty.
John is survived by his wife of 32 years, Angela (Manali) Calabro; their son, Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; grandchildren: Joseph, Jake, and Jackson; John's sisters: Mary Calabro of Aiken, S.C., and Lori Berg of Yorktown Heights, N.Y.; and countless cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitations will be at Quigley Bros. Funeral Home, 337 Hudson Street, Cornwall-on-Hudson. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, July 17. Memorial Services at West Point, the Cadet Chapel, will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 18.
Upon hearing the news of the passing of Col. John Calabro, the Putnam History Museum shared its profound sadness on the loss of one of its former museum presidents. William Hicks, current museum president, stated: "John Calabro was a brave soldier, an esteemed educator, a loyal friend, and a good man in the best sense of the word. The museum board and staff are heartbroken and extend our condolences to John's family and friends."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Anthony Calabro Jr., was that rarest of creatures, a Soldier and a philosopher, an accomplished Army officer who loved art, music, literature, poetry, history, and ultimately golf. He also appreciated good food and was an admirer of fine spirits, both human and distilled.
John was the quintessential Renaissance man. He was a writer, cook, musician, tennis and squash player, and passionate golfer. He was also a talented painter. Most of all, John was a gifted teacher, inspiring a generation of cadets and young officers to think and to express themselves clearly and concisely. It also is the case that John was voted by the female cadets of a certain USMA class as the sexiest man alive when they were cadets.
Born to John and Frances Calabro of Forest Hills, NY, John attended Fordham University for a year before arriving at West Point on Jul 1, 1964, with the other members of the Class of 1968. John's gift for the English language was evident from his very first days on the Hudson. He was a terrific writer, even then, and he had an unabashed passion for the language that was his hallmark for his entire life. It was also then that his classmates learned of John's irreverent sense of humor and his remarkable gift for both satire and editorial cartooning. The cadet literary magazine was called The Pointer, and John was an early and frequent contributor, ultimately serving as Editor in Chief during First Class year. His editorial cartoons were masterful at lampooning the various indignities that were inflicted on the Corps by the powers that be. Not surprisingly, the powers that be were not amused. Consequently, John was always in trouble for his insightful and satirical depictions of cadet life. John retained those powers of observation and his delicious sense of humor all his life.
After graduation, commissioning as a Field Artillery officer, and marriage to Virginia Winters, John had a short tour in Germany, followed by a long tour in Vietnam, where he won two Bronze Stars. Selected to teach in the English Department, John attended Columbia University, where his voracious appetite for learning led to him to take courses in advanced German, philosophy, and history along with his heavy doses of American and British literature. After completing his master's degree, John joined the West Point faculty and began what became his life-long commitment to the institution.
After he finished his faculty tour, John returned to the field Army in Germany. While there, he was selected to become a member of the senior military faculty in the Department of English. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and then returned to the English Department, where he served until his retirement in 1998, having achieved the rank of both full colonel and full professor.
It was in his capacity as a senior faculty member that John influenced the intellectual and professional development of a generation of cadets and officers. He brought to his responsibilities a passion for his subject, to be sure, but he also brought his passion for life, working to instill in his students at least a little of the inquisitiveness and intellectual curiosity that made him so special. What was most amazing about John was the breadth of his intellectual interests. He always brought penetrating insights into a bewildering variety of issues, so one could never be sure where a conversation with John might lead.
Most of all, John was devoted to his family: Angela, his wife of 32 years whom he married in 1981, their son Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; and grandchildren Joseph, Jake, and Jackson. It was clear that Angela was the light of John's life. He literally beamed when he talked about her. That light never went out. John was devoted to Angela and his sons, and he never tired of telling stories about his two boys, and then, of course, his grandchildren.
Following John's retirement from the Army, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. He served for seven years as the Vice President for Alumni Support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In 2007, John became the first Chief Operating Officer at the Association, guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the Association's secretary.
John's love for West Point and the Hudson Valley was boundless. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, NY, and service on the Putnam County Historical Board. Unable to leave the classroom behind, in 1999 John volunteered to teach English and literature as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty. His continuing contributions led to his appointment as the first Emeritus Professor of English in the Department's history.
John Calabro was the most complete person I have ever known. His range of interests was almost limitless. Yet, for all his extraordinary talents, he was at root a gentle and kind human being: brilliant but not arrogant; humble but not shy; determined but not overbearing; loving but not naïve; passionate but not intolerant.
The French historian Christophe Prochasson once defined the "music of history" as the capacity to contemplate tomorrows that sing. While John would never allow himself to be classified as an historian, he did in fact inspire a generation of cadets and faculty to imagine a future that was filled with promise, that would be, most of all, a just and civil society, in short, an endless procession of tomorrows that sing.
The songs won't be as rich and joyful without John, but they will be there just the same, made possible by his lifelong devotion to his family, to his students, and to his country.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates, 2014 TAPS
Courtesy of Philipstown.info (Oct. 27, 2013):
John A. Calabro, Jr., of Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on July 9, 2013, while visiting family with his wife Angela in Anna Maria Island, Fla. He was 67. John was a colonel, United States Army; Ph.D.; and senior vice president and chief operating officer of the West Point Association of Graduates.
Born to John and Frances (Yonkauski) Calabro of Forest Hills, N.Y., Jan. 14, 1946, John had been a beloved resident and faithful leader in the Hudson Valley since 1978. A 1963 graduate of Xavier High School in New York City, John went on to graduate from West Point with the Class of 1968. He was commissioned into the U.S. Army, subsequently serving in Vietnam, where he was decorated for valor. Soon thereafter he was selected to join the faculty of the United States Military Academy's Department of English. He would earn advanced degrees from Columbia University (M.A.) and the University of Virginia (Ph.D.), teach at the University of Nijmegen in The Netherlands, and rise to the rank of full professor on the West Point faculty. He became a cherished and highly esteemed mentor and teacher for thousands of cadets and fellow faculty members.
Following John's retirement from the military, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. Notably, he served for seven years as the vice president for alumni support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In this role John was known for his sympathetic, innovative, and efficient management of the association's support for classes, West Point societies, and individual graduates. Since 2007 John had served as second-in-command at the association, personally guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the association's secretary.
An accomplished writer, watercolorist, gourmet cook, and musician, John Calabro was also a fine athlete, maintaining a lifelong devotion to fitness. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, N.Y., and service on the Putnam History Museum (then known as Putnam County Historical Society) board, including tenure as its president. A ceaseless learner, John was truly a Renaissance man; in recent months he had undertaken a program to teach himself Italian. At West Point, during the years since his retirement, John continued to teach English and literature lessons as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty.
John is survived by his wife of 32 years, Angela (Manali) Calabro; their son, Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; grandchildren: Joseph, Jake, and Jackson; John's sisters: Mary Calabro of Aiken, S.C., and Lori Berg of Yorktown Heights, N.Y.; and countless cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitations will be at Quigley Bros. Funeral Home, 337 Hudson Street, Cornwall-on-Hudson. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, July 17. Memorial Services at West Point, the Cadet Chapel, will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 18.
Upon hearing the news of the passing of Col. John Calabro, the Putnam History Museum shared its profound sadness on the loss of one of its former museum presidents. William Hicks, current museum president, stated: "John Calabro was a brave soldier, an esteemed educator, a loyal friend, and a good man in the best sense of the word. The museum board and staff are heartbroken and extend our condolences to John's family and friends."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Anthony Calabro Jr., was that rarest of creatures, a Soldier and a philosopher, an accomplished Army officer who loved art, music, literature, poetry, history, and ultimately golf. He also appreciated good food and was an admirer of fine spirits, both human and distilled.
John was the quintessential Renaissance man. He was a writer, cook, musician, tennis and squash player, and passionate golfer. He was also a talented painter. Most of all, John was a gifted teacher, inspiring a generation of cadets and young officers to think and to express themselves clearly and concisely. It also is the case that John was voted by the female cadets of a certain USMA class as the sexiest man alive when they were cadets.
Born to John and Frances Calabro of Forest Hills, NY, John attended Fordham University for a year before arriving at West Point on Jul 1, 1964, with the other members of the Class of 1968. John's gift for the English language was evident from his very first days on the Hudson. He was a terrific writer, even then, and he had an unabashed passion for the language that was his hallmark for his entire life. It was also then that his classmates learned of John's irreverent sense of humor and his remarkable gift for both satire and editorial cartooning. The cadet literary magazine was called The Pointer, and John was an early and frequent contributor, ultimately serving as Editor in Chief during First Class year. His editorial cartoons were masterful at lampooning the various indignities that were inflicted on the Corps by the powers that be. Not surprisingly, the powers that be were not amused. Consequently, John was always in trouble for his insightful and satirical depictions of cadet life. John retained those powers of observation and his delicious sense of humor all his life.
After graduation, commissioning as a Field Artillery officer, and marriage to Virginia Winters, John had a short tour in Germany, followed by a long tour in Vietnam, where he won two Bronze Stars. Selected to teach in the English Department, John attended Columbia University, where his voracious appetite for learning led to him to take courses in advanced German, philosophy, and history along with his heavy doses of American and British literature. After completing his master's degree, John joined the West Point faculty and began what became his life-long commitment to the institution.
After he finished his faculty tour, John returned to the field Army in Germany. While there, he was selected to become a member of the senior military faculty in the Department of English. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and then returned to the English Department, where he served until his retirement in 1998, having achieved the rank of both full colonel and full professor.
It was in his capacity as a senior faculty member that John influenced the intellectual and professional development of a generation of cadets and officers. He brought to his responsibilities a passion for his subject, to be sure, but he also brought his passion for life, working to instill in his students at least a little of the inquisitiveness and intellectual curiosity that made him so special. What was most amazing about John was the breadth of his intellectual interests. He always brought penetrating insights into a bewildering variety of issues, so one could never be sure where a conversation with John might lead.
Most of all, John was devoted to his family: Angela, his wife of 32 years whom he married in 1981, their son Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; and grandchildren Joseph, Jake, and Jackson. It was clear that Angela was the light of John's life. He literally beamed when he talked about her. That light never went out. John was devoted to Angela and his sons, and he never tired of telling stories about his two boys, and then, of course, his grandchildren.
Following John's retirement from the Army, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. He served for seven years as the Vice President for Alumni Support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In 2007, John became the first Chief Operating Officer at the Association, guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the Association's secretary.
John's love for West Point and the Hudson Valley was boundless. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, NY, and service on the Putnam County Historical Board. Unable to leave the classroom behind, in 1999 John volunteered to teach English and literature as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty. His continuing contributions led to his appointment as the first Emeritus Professor of English in the Department's history.
John Calabro was the most complete person I have ever known. His range of interests was almost limitless. Yet, for all his extraordinary talents, he was at root a gentle and kind human being: brilliant but not arrogant; humble but not shy; determined but not overbearing; loving but not naïve; passionate but not intolerant.
The French historian Christophe Prochasson once defined the "music of history" as the capacity to contemplate tomorrows that sing. While John would never allow himself to be classified as an historian, he did in fact inspire a generation of cadets and faculty to imagine a future that was filled with promise, that would be, most of all, a just and civil society, in short, an endless procession of tomorrows that sing.
The songs won't be as rich and joyful without John, but they will be there just the same, made possible by his lifelong devotion to his family, to his students, and to his country.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates, 2014 TAPS
John A. Calabro, Jr., of Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on July 9, 2013, while visiting family with his wife Angela in Anna Maria Island, Fla. He was 67. John was a colonel, United States Army; Ph.D.; and senior vice president and chief operating officer of the West Point Association of Graduates.
Born to John and Frances (Yonkauski) Calabro of Forest Hills, N.Y., Jan. 14, 1946, John had been a beloved resident and faithful leader in the Hudson Valley since 1978. A 1963 graduate of Xavier High School in New York City, John went on to graduate from West Point with the Class of 1968. He was commissioned into the U.S. Army, subsequently serving in Vietnam, where he was decorated for valor. Soon thereafter he was selected to join the faculty of the United States Military Academy's Department of English. He would earn advanced degrees from Columbia University (M.A.) and the University of Virginia (Ph.D.), teach at the University of Nijmegen in The Netherlands, and rise to the rank of full professor on the West Point faculty. He became a cherished and highly esteemed mentor and teacher for thousands of cadets and fellow faculty members.
Following John's retirement from the military, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. Notably, he served for seven years as the vice president for alumni support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In this role John was known for his sympathetic, innovative, and efficient management of the association's support for classes, West Point societies, and individual graduates. Since 2007 John had served as second-in-command at the association, personally guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the association's secretary.
An accomplished writer, watercolorist, gourmet cook, and musician, John Calabro was also a fine athlete, maintaining a lifelong devotion to fitness. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, N.Y., and service on the Putnam History Museum (then known as Putnam County Historical Society) board, including tenure as its president. A ceaseless learner, John was truly a Renaissance man; in recent months he had undertaken a program to teach himself Italian. At West Point, during the years since his retirement, John continued to teach English and literature lessons as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty.
John is survived by his wife of 32 years, Angela (Manali) Calabro; their son, Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; grandchildren: Joseph, Jake, and Jackson; John's sisters: Mary Calabro of Aiken, S.C., and Lori Berg of Yorktown Heights, N.Y.; and countless cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visitations will be at Quigley Bros. Funeral Home, 337 Hudson Street, Cornwall-on-Hudson. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, July 17. Memorial Services at West Point, the Cadet Chapel, will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 18.
Upon hearing the news of the passing of Col. John Calabro, the Putnam History Museum shared its profound sadness on the loss of one of its former museum presidents. William Hicks, current museum president, stated: "John Calabro was a brave soldier, an esteemed educator, a loyal friend, and a good man in the best sense of the word. The museum board and staff are heartbroken and extend our condolences to John's family and friends."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Anthony Calabro Jr., was that rarest of creatures, a Soldier and a philosopher, an accomplished Army officer who loved art, music, literature, poetry, history, and ultimately golf. He also appreciated good food and was an admirer of fine spirits, both human and distilled.
John was the quintessential Renaissance man. He was a writer, cook, musician, tennis and squash player, and passionate golfer. He was also a talented painter. Most of all, John was a gifted teacher, inspiring a generation of cadets and young officers to think and to express themselves clearly and concisely. It also is the case that John was voted by the female cadets of a certain USMA class as the sexiest man alive when they were cadets.
Born to John and Frances Calabro of Forest Hills, NY, John attended Fordham University for a year before arriving at West Point on Jul 1, 1964, with the other members of the Class of 1968. John's gift for the English language was evident from his very first days on the Hudson. He was a terrific writer, even then, and he had an unabashed passion for the language that was his hallmark for his entire life. It was also then that his classmates learned of John's irreverent sense of humor and his remarkable gift for both satire and editorial cartooning. The cadet literary magazine was called The Pointer, and John was an early and frequent contributor, ultimately serving as Editor in Chief during First Class year. His editorial cartoons were masterful at lampooning the various indignities that were inflicted on the Corps by the powers that be. Not surprisingly, the powers that be were not amused. Consequently, John was always in trouble for his insightful and satirical depictions of cadet life. John retained those powers of observation and his delicious sense of humor all his life.
After graduation, commissioning as a Field Artillery officer, and marriage to Virginia Winters, John had a short tour in Germany, followed by a long tour in Vietnam, where he won two Bronze Stars. Selected to teach in the English Department, John attended Columbia University, where his voracious appetite for learning led to him to take courses in advanced German, philosophy, and history along with his heavy doses of American and British literature. After completing his master's degree, John joined the West Point faculty and began what became his life-long commitment to the institution.
After he finished his faculty tour, John returned to the field Army in Germany. While there, he was selected to become a member of the senior military faculty in the Department of English. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and then returned to the English Department, where he served until his retirement in 1998, having achieved the rank of both full colonel and full professor.
It was in his capacity as a senior faculty member that John influenced the intellectual and professional development of a generation of cadets and officers. He brought to his responsibilities a passion for his subject, to be sure, but he also brought his passion for life, working to instill in his students at least a little of the inquisitiveness and intellectual curiosity that made him so special. What was most amazing about John was the breadth of his intellectual interests. He always brought penetrating insights into a bewildering variety of issues, so one could never be sure where a conversation with John might lead.
Most of all, John was devoted to his family: Angela, his wife of 32 years whom he married in 1981, their son Tony; John's son Jac and his wife Elizabeth; and grandchildren Joseph, Jake, and Jackson. It was clear that Angela was the light of John's life. He literally beamed when he talked about her. That light never went out. John was devoted to Angela and his sons, and he never tired of telling stories about his two boys, and then, of course, his grandchildren.
Following John's retirement from the Army, he joined the executive staff of the West Point Association of Graduates in 1998. He served for seven years as the Vice President for Alumni Support, managing services for more than 45,000 West Point graduates and their families. In 2007, John became the first Chief Operating Officer at the Association, guiding the integrated functions of the organization and serving as the Association's secretary.
John's love for West Point and the Hudson Valley was boundless. His volunteer activities included leadership in the founding of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, NY, and service on the Putnam County Historical Board. Unable to leave the classroom behind, in 1999 John volunteered to teach English and literature as a pro bono, adjunct member of the Department of English & Philosophy faculty. His continuing contributions led to his appointment as the first Emeritus Professor of English in the Department's history.
John Calabro was the most complete person I have ever known. His range of interests was almost limitless. Yet, for all his extraordinary talents, he was at root a gentle and kind human being: brilliant but not arrogant; humble but not shy; determined but not overbearing; loving but not naïve; passionate but not intolerant.
The French historian Christophe Prochasson once defined the "music of history" as the capacity to contemplate tomorrows that sing. While John would never allow himself to be classified as an historian, he did in fact inspire a generation of cadets and faculty to imagine a future that was filled with promise, that would be, most of all, a just and civil society, in short, an endless procession of tomorrows that sing.
The songs won't be as rich and joyful without John, but they will be there just the same, made possible by his lifelong devotion to his family, to his students, and to his country.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates, 2014 TAPS
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