Dr. Orlin (Bub) Callicoat, D.O. of Mexico, MO. passed away on November 20, 2023 after a brief illness. He was 88 years old.
Orlin grew up in Huntington, W. Va. He graduated from Huntington East High School and Marshall University with a degree in Chemistry. He worked as a golf caddy and paper boy until he joined the family-owned Callicoat Highlawn service station as an attendant/mechanic during his school years and the International Nickel Plant, as a chemist, upon college graduation. Orlin moved his family of six to Kansas City, to attend and graduate from medical school at the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCCOM). He was a member of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (MAOPS) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). In school, he was a member of the Honor Society, Band, Choir and a member of several fraternities. Orlin was a member of the KCCOM chorale during his medical school years, traveling and recording. He also participated and sang in cantatas in church. He played several instruments over the years including saxophone, ukulele, dulcimer, piano and harmonica. He always remembered each of his kids’ birthdates and called and sang happy birthday to them every year on their special day, up to his death.
Orlin practiced family medicine in Independence, and Turner, Kan. He was the head of Emergency Medicine when the new K.C. Osteopathic hospital opened and served as the Emergency Command Leader when the Kansas City International Airport first opened. Orlin discovered his passion for and earned his specialty in Geriatric medicine, seeing patients in care facilities across the four-state region with Blue Valley Medical (Kan.) and settled in Mexico, working for the Audrain Medical Center, as their geriatric specialist, seeing nursing home patients across the area until his retirement.
Orlin was a devoted son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, friend and most recently became a great-grandfather. He loved athletics, playing golf in high school, bowling, volleyball, tennis and pickleball into his eighties. He loved water and snow skiing, canoeing, white-water rafting and motorcycle riding. He enjoyed attending exercise classes at the YMCA in Mexico, MO up until his death. Orlin loved classic cars, trains, bicycling on the KATY Trail, gardening as a Master Gardener and identifying birds. He loved to travel and ensured his kids traveled and saw the country through educational as well as fun trips to the national parks, beaches and mountains. Orlin loved his family time with his brother and sister’s families and frequently took vacations as a group to places like the Land of Oz (N.C.) and the Auto-Train from Virginia to Florida. He attended medical conferences all over the United States, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
Orlin was a compassionate man always willing to lend a helping hand, give advice and cheer people up. He loved researching the family tree and genealogy with his brother and sister. He loved to tell “Dad” jokes frequently, up to the day he passed away.
Orlin was preceded in death by his parents, Henry (Dutch) Franklin Callicoat and Audrey Irene Galloway Callicoat; stepmother, Wilma Callicoat; son, Kelly Callicoat, his brothers, Durward Callicoat and Gary Callicoat and recently lost his sister, Joan Callicoat Burns in September of this year.
Orlin is survived by his son, Ricke Callicoat (Warsaw), daughters, Denise Callicoat Thompson (Kansas City) and Debra Callicoat (Gladstone), daughter in law, Cathy Settle (Kelly) Callicoat (New Orleans, La.), grandson, Steven Thompson (Mountain View, Calif.), Emily Callicoat Osborne (Bevier), Carrie Callicoat (Nick) Ball, (Kansas City), his newborn great granddaughter, Jalen Osborne (Bevier), many nephews, nieces and their families, his “adopted” daughter, Kim Bush (Kansas City), his best friends, Betty Clark (Mexico) and Margaret Thomas (Mexico), and neighbor, Gary McGuire. Orlin was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all.
A memorial open house will be held in Mexico, on Dec. 10, from 1 to 5 p.m., at 716 Ringo. Celebration of Life Services and repast will be held Dec. 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Claycomo Community Building at 28 S. Drake in Claycomo, Mo.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (MAOPS), Wetzel Scholar Program, or the Missouri Conservation Department.
