Richard James Calame, Sr. of Devine entered eternal rest on Monday, February 7, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas with his family by his side.
Richard was born on July 5, 1955 in Denver, Colorado to Sherman and Geraldine Calame. He was a very talented Warhorse football player and graduate of Devine High School. Richard married the love of his life Linda Marie Heiman Calame on March 13, 1976. It was “love at first sight” as he told his friend Blaze Morales to turn around at Randy’s Rodeo when he saw Linda standing at the door entrance with her friend. “I am going to marry that girl” he proclaimed! Her friend wanted to date him, but he only had eyes for Linda, so she finally gave him Linda’s number and he danced the night away with her many times over the next year and a half and they married. Dancing and country music was something they continued to share the love of and enjoy throughout their 45 years of marriage.
Richard was a family man, entrepreneur, adventurer, storytelling extraordinaire, do it yourself self made man who loved teaching his sons and daughters to be self sufficient, independent and love God and family. He loved being a dad and a grandpa and was thrilled when several of his children decided to make their homes beside his on their property in BigFoot, Texas. The family gathered on weekends together around the huge oak tree located between their homes to watch the grandchildren play, visit, laugh, and enjoy family dinners. Richard enjoyed teaching the grandkids all kinds of things including “chasing the chickens”, possibly trying to recreate “the chicken” as his children recalled.
The kids would gather around to listen to Richard tell his stories, and slowly one by one go from standing to sitting soaking it all in his wife Linda recalls. She enjoyed watching the grandkids, the next generation, do the same as Richard loved to share his experiences and wisdom with his loved ones, just like he did his friends and customers who visited Calame Store over the years. He definitely knew how to make you feel like you were there with him, using his arms and legs and motions to help him tell the story.
Richard and Linda owned and operated Calame Stores, in four locations over their 30 year span since 1977 in the family convenience store business. “Danny Campsey gave me a one week crash course on how to run the store business”, said Linda. They had locations in Devine (IH35/Hwy173), Natalia, Sabinal, and the original store on Calame Store Road established by his grandparents Will and Pauline Calame in the 1930s (CR 5710, Devine still in operation by nephew Sherman & Hannah Calame). Richard loved people and visiting with them as they came in to the store. He also enjoyed several other business ventures that allowed him to tour the countryside, like his delivery businesses of auto parts and then medical supplies. He still got to see people, but also the countryside.
A jack of all trades and entrepreneur type, he helped build UTSA back in his younger years as a “grunt man”, and also worked in the oilfield alongside his brothers Jack, David and Tommy in their younger years. Richard was later a business partner in several other businesses to include telephone construction and the oilfield running them alongside his Calame Store businesses with the help of his wife Linda. He had a risk taking spirit and loved a challenge, always providing a loving home for his family and the love of his life Linda.
Richard and Linda enjoyed several trips over the past few years after Richard decided to slow down and retire and build his own home, something he always wanted to do, on their land. They went to see the Grand Canyon and loved taking back roads here and there in the summer and on weekends. He also enjoyed taking the family and his boat to area lakes to fish. As a country boy he loved hunting for coons, rabbits and such and fishing. He passed on that love to brothers, his sons, nephews and grandsons.
He was preceded in death by his parents Jack Sherman and Geraldine (Irwin) Calame; sister Geraldine Paula Calame, brother-in-laws Maury Heiman, Jr. and Donald Butch Campsey and his mother and father-in-law Maury Heiman, Sr. and Betty Heiman. Grandparents William E. and Pauline B. Calame, and John C. and Ruby H. Irwin.
He is survived by his wife Linda Heiman Calame, and their children Michelle (Charlie) DuBose, Melissa Calame, Richard (Lauren) Calame Jr., Matthew (Brittany) Calame, Cynthia Calame, and Edna Calame. Grand children Charles, Amber and Addison DuBose; Matthew and Tate Calame; Myla, Everett and Wyatt Goodnight, Bentley Martinez, and Kyleigh Reynolds; Cage, Kaden and Jolene Medina; and Amelia Calame.
Brothers Jack (Marcie), David and Tommy (Kathleen) Calame. Sisters Sherry Campsey, Susan (Marvin) Bendele and Mary(Richard) Long. Numerous nieces and nephews.
He was admired by his grandchildren who will fondly remember some of his favorite sayings when referring to foolish or silly moments with “Oh, Dingle Berries”, and that “Blows my mind”. And as a little hard of hearing Grandpa Richard really wanting to hear what they said, so “HUH!” was something they will recall with a smile as they remember the stories they shared with him over and over until he could hear them, and his beautiful laughter, wide eyes and big smiles in response.
Services will be on Thursday, February 17, 2022 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm with a viewing and visitation and a Rosary at 7:00 pm at the Hurley Funeral Home, Devine, Texas. Richard’s grave will be dug and buried by his sons, nephews, brothers, grandsons and loved ones in the Calame’s Irish tradition the night before the funeral.
A funeral Mass will take place on Friday, February 18, 2022 at 10:00 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devine with interment in St Joseph Catholic Cemetery immediately following the Mass. Arrangements were made with Hurley Funeral Home, Devine, Tx. Anyone wishing to leave the family a message may do so on Hurley’s website hurleyfuneralhome.com.