Professor, Mentor, Devoted Brother
William “Bill” Callarman, beloved professor, cherished friend, and dedicated member of the Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) fraternity, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2024, at the age of 80. Bill will be deeply missed by his family, friends, students, fellow church members, and brothers.
Bill was passionate about working with people, establishing as his personal mission statement, “The greatest investment you can make is the one spent on others.1”
He studied business at West Texas A&M University (now West Texas State University), where his father was the dean of the business school, where he was initiated into Alpha Kappa Psi in 1962. He continued his education at Arizona State University, earning a Ph.D. in Business Management. He eventually moved his family to Florida for a faculty role in 1972 at Florida Technological University (later renamed the University of Central Florida).
Bill’s career flourished at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he served as a professor in marketing and management2 and was eventually named faculty emeritus for his many leadership roles in and out of the classroom. A pillar of the UCF community, he was known for his engaging teaching style, unwavering dedication to his students, and unwavering commitment to fostering a love for learning.
Beyond the classroom walls, Bill was actively involved in the Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity. His dedication to the organization’s values of brotherhood, unity, integrity, service, and knowledge was exemplified by serving on the Board of Directors and by serving as the faculty advisor of the Nu Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi at UCF for 30 years. For his service and for the guidance he provided hundreds of AKPsi members over the years, AKPsi recognized Bill with the Gold Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor for a volunteer given by the organization.
Bill was also an active church member and a long-time youth soccer coach. He played pivotal roles in NCAA athletics, chairing the UCF athletic committee in the 1990s. He utilized this post to further advocate for gender equity and women’s athletics. Bill was also the chief designer of the business curriculum at UCF, providing critical leadership to the fledgling university.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Helen Ayres Callarman, and is survived by his son, Michael, and daughter, Julia, and granddaughters, Kate and Mary Quinn.3
He will be remembered for his warmth, humor, intellect, and steadfast dedication to his family, students, fraternity brothers, church family, and loved ones.
Sources
1 Mangual, A. (2011, March 29). The Resume of a Man Who Got All He Dreamed. ALEXIAMANGUAL. March 22, 2024, https://alexiamangual.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/the-resume-of-a-man-who-got-all-he-dreamed/
2 University of Central Florida, “The UCF Report, Vol. 05 No. 03, August 11, 1982” (1982). The UCF Report. 133. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/ucfreport/133
3 Newcomer. (n.d.). Newcomer family obituaries – dr. William Glen “bill” callarman 1943 – 2024. Orlando. https://www.newcomerorlando.com/Obituary/275190/Dr-William-Callarman/Orlando-FL
