Dr. Jan K. Calhoon

July 5, 1939 – June 14, 2025

Dr. Jan K. Calhoon passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 14, 2025, with his family at his side, following a long illness. He was 85 years old. Jan lived fully and generously, his years marked by dedication and love to family, service to country, and a quiet strength that endured over the course of his life.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Omer "Juju" and Lyda Grace Calhoon, and his sister, Susan Adkins. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Sheila Calhoon; his sons, Christopher Calhoon of Dallas, TX, and Patrick Calhoon (and daughter-in-law Alicia) of La Jolla, CA; and his three beloved grandchildren: Addison, Averly, and Amelia Calhoon. He is also survived by his brothers, Ken Calhoon (and wife Maureen) of Little Rock, AR, and Rick Calhoon (and wife Ann) of Jackson, MS, and Linda Hays (sister-in-law) of North Little Rock, AR, and was a favorite uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Jan was born on July 5, 1939, in El Dorado, Arkansas, where he grew up alongside his three siblings in a close-knit family. He worked a paper route, rode motorcycles, and was a wrestler in high school. He attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he majored in chemistry and was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity  and somehow earned the nickname "Coonbarf," a badge of honor that he never quite explained but wore proudly.

In 1962, Jan joined the United States Marine Corps, serving in an artillery unit of the 1st Marine Division at 29 Palms, California. He continued in the Marine Corps Reserves until 1968, concluding his service with the rank of Sergeant. He loved his time in the Corps and was a proud Marine for the rest of his days.

Jan went on to attend Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, graduating in 1969 with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. That same year, he married the love of his life, Sheila Culp, settled in Dallas, and had two sons, Christopher and Patrick. He practiced dentistry in the Dallas area for 50 years, where he treated two generations of patients, retiring in 2019.

Jan was a man of many talents. He could fix just about anything and had the hands and eyes of an artist—sculpting, painting, drawing, and often picking up a guitar or banging out a rock-and-roll Christmas song on the piano. He had a sharp, irreverent sense of humor and an easy charm that made people feel at ease. But more than anything, he loved his family. He adored Sheila, and he gave his sons, Christopher and Patrick, a childhood full of love, laughs, and opportunity. There was no one else like him. He was deeply loved, and he will be missed.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 12, at 1:00 p.m. at Royal Lane Baptist Church, 6707 Royal Lane, Dallas, Texas. All who knew and loved Jan are welcome to attend