Born: June 2, 1924
Died: April 14, 2007 Place of Birth: Chatham, Ontario
Major Notes:
June Callwood was a respected Canadian journalist, author, and celebrated social activist.
Callwood's parents had a distressed marriage and she lived a life of poverty as a youngster.
Her parents eventually separated and Callwood dropped out of high school in order to help support the family.
Fortunately, being the editor of the school newspaper had given Callwood an insight into journalism.
At age 18, she accepted a job at Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper.
Two years later Callwood married Trent Frayne, a fellow journalist, but kept her maiden name as a condition of employment.
Her reputation progressed when she began working as a freelance writer submitting articles to various magazines.
Callwood began to appreciate social problems as she undertook her freelance writing research.
Callwood exposed and suggested ways to help many of Canada's social problems.
In addition, with support from her husband, Callwood wrote her first novel and was a ghost writer for biographical books
on prominent individuals such as Otto Preminger and Barbara Walters.
In 1982, her youngest of four children was killed in a motorcycle accident after being struck by a drunk driver.
Callwood founded the Casey House Hospice which was named after her dead son.
Casey House became noted for its early recognition and treatment of people with HIV/AIDS.
She was also a founding member of numerous organizations such as the Writers' Union of Canada and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
Although Callwood was an atheist, she deeply respected theology.
June Callwood received many honours including joining the Order of Canada and being sometimes called Canada's Mother Theresa.
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