J David McCalmont

J. David McCalmont of Naples, Florida passed away in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on December 9, 2013. Dave was born on February 18, 1922 in Waterloo, Iowa to Beth and John McCalmont. Later, the family moved to Wood River, Illinois and then to Des Plaines, Illinois where Dave attended school and eventually graduated from Maine Township High School in 1939. From 1939-1943 he attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he belonged to the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and graduated with a degree in Political Science. Immediately following graduation, Dave entered the U.S. Navy and was assigned to communication school at Harvard prior to joining the amphibious forces as a communications officer. His service took him to New Orleans, all along the east coast of America, across the Atlantic to England, and finally to Omaha Beach where he landed men and equipment on D-Day. After spending several months on the coast of Normandy, he was transferred to San Diego and then on to the Pacific theatre where he traveled to Shanghai, China and then up the Yangtze River several hundred miles above Hankow delivering relief supplies. After his discharge from the Navy, Dave attended law school at Columbia University and subsequently was employed with a maritime law firm in New York City. Fluent in German, he next accepted a position with the High Commission in Germany during the occupation. While serving as a Resident Officer in Alsfeld he met and married his wife of 59 years, Laura (born Hannelore Barthel). The couple returned to Rockford, Illinois where Dave practiced general law prior to returning to New York to work in international corporate law for Richardson Merrill and later for Celanese Corporation and Hoechst. His work took him to India, Pakistan, Mexico, and throughout South America. Dave and Laura retired to Naples, Florida where they continued to enjoy travel and visits with old friends and relatives as well as many new friendships with their neighbors in the Solamar building. Dave is survived by his son, Derek, daughter-in-law, Patricia (nee McLaughlin) and grandson John, all of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Dave''s wife and son, John, predeceased him. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Leet Memorial United Methodist Church, Bradford. Burial will be in the Bradford Cemetery, Bradford, with military rites conducted by Bradford American Legion Post 445. There will be no visitation.