Gene was born in Albany, California, May 4, 1939, to Leonard and Levia Callan.  The late Leonard Callan was born and lived in downtown San Francisco and never learned to drive a car.  Leonard Callan was a decorated senior basketball coach at St. Mary's college for many years.  Levia Franchi was born in Italy and immigrated to the United States with her family as a child and became a school teacher in Napa.

Gene grew up playing sports.  He loved all sports and was a "superstud" at Albany High lettering in basketball and baseball, and, went to California Polytechnic State University "Cal Poly", San Luis Obispo, on a baseball scholarship where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

After college Gene married and had two children Kristen Ann and Kimberly Ann, both married and they had three children each, Cole, Hannah, and Cade, and Bella, Grace, and Brody, respectively.

His lengthy "medical" career started as a salesman for Merck & Company, a multinational pharmaceutical company.  From there Gene worked for various medical companies including Physio Control, a manufacturer of defibrillation and CPR equipment, and Ely Lilly a multinational selling medical equipment, and eventually worked his way up to Sales Manager and then Regional Manager.

Gene loved sports and the outdoors and spent his entire adult leisure life hiking, fishing, playing golf and tennis. Gene and Sharon met in Walnut Creek, Ca, July 1978, and were together for 46 years and spent 42 of them playing tennis and golf at Lake Forest Beach and Tennis.  They  owned a small Sea Ray Cabin Cruiser for several years and cruised the Delta and the Pacific.  In retirement, they bought a Casita travel trailer and visited national parks throughout the United States and Canada.

Gene lived an amazing life and died August 12, 2024.  He is survived by his wife Sharon, his daughters Kristen Ann and her husband Steve Smith, their children Hannah Smith-Smith and Cade Smith, and his daughter Kimberly Bugbee and her husband Chris Bugbee, and their children Bella Bugbee, Grace Bugbee, and Brody Bugbee.  Gene was dearly loved by his family and was blessed by God.