Wellington, Kansas Jimmie (Jim) Dale Galloway, retired Blackwell Santa Fe Railroad Agent, died at Wellington Health and Rehab on January 17, 2023 of congestive heart failure. He was 97.
Mr. Galloway was born on March 2, 1925 on the family farm near Harper, Kansas, to James Irwin Galloway and Frankie Mae (McAtee) Galloway. At age five, he moved with his family to Harper, Kansas, and attended Harper schools. He was hired as an apprentice with the Santa Fe Railroad when he was 17 and was furloughed from the railroad after he was drafted into the Army after his 18th birthday in 1943. After basic and advanced training, he was shipped out with the 720th Railway Battalion to Sudbury, England, in December of 1943. In July 1944, a few weeks after D-Day, he landed in France with the 720th. His group managed rail yards in towns and villages as Allied rail services moved troops, munitions and prisoners, while others in the battalion built and repaired track and operated trains. On his return home in 1946, he continued his work with Santa Fe as a clerk telegrapher at Harper, Kansas, and was promoted to Station Agent in Ashland, Kansas, in 1959. He was promoted to Station Agent at Blackwell, Oklahoma, in 1974 where he worked until his retirement in 1987 with 44 years of service.
Jim married George Ellen (Metzker) Galloway July 22, 1947 in Anthony, Kansas. In their 75 years of marriage, they enjoyed gardening and yard work, traveling and visiting with family and activities with their church families. As an adult he learned to play the piano and enjoyed listening to music. Mr. Galloway was active in church and civic activities throughout his adult life as a church lay leader, city councilman, Boy Scout leader, youth baseball coach and numerous church administrative activities for the First United Methodist Church in Ashland and Blackwell.
In his spare time in Ashland, he built an additional room on their house. He exemplified a life of service to his community, including 30 years delivering Meals on Wheels beginning at his retirement at age 62. After his retirement from the Railroad, he worked as a driver for the Sonny Cannon Auto Dealership. His service life included helping many individuals with yard work, home maintenance, and taking others to medical appointments. Their property in Blackwell won the “Yard of the Week Award” several times owing to their constant work outside, desiring to make their landscaping perfect. He and George Ellen enjoyed visiting with family and friends, playing cards and taking occasional day trips with their friends. Their favorite thing to do was hosting holidays and special occasions with their family. Many hours were spent around the dinner table celebrating these events.
Mr. Galloway is survived by daughter Sherry Willis and husband Bob of Wellington, Kansas, and son Marsh Galloway and wife Carol of Louisburg, Kansas. Grandchildren include Wes Misak (Wanda Ingram), Wendy Brunton (Jared), Ian Galloway, Rygh Galloway (Rachael Duty) and Caleigh Galloway (Alex Hodges); great grandchildren, Kaden Misak, Maddox Misak and Harper Brunton; step-grandchildren Greg Willis (Sarah), Jeff Willis, step-great grandchildren Jordan Willis, Laken Willis, Kyle Willis, Drew Willis, Brigham Willis, Whitley Willis, Brooks Willis and Evie Willis, step-great great grandchildren Addison Willis and Oliver Willis.
Mr. Galloway was preceded in death by his wife George Ellen on November 13, 2022, parents, brothers Clifford and Marion Galloway and wife Roberta, sisters Edith Galloway, Louise and husband Ray McMichael, and Wilma and husband Donald Plank, grandchildren Ty Misak and Matthew Galloway, and step-great grandchild Katlyn Willis.
Mr. Galloway will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a kind and gentle man who loved and cared deeply and led his life as a shining example of strong moral character, commitment and dedication. A
Celebration of Life will be held for Jim and George Ellen at a later date. Memorial donations in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Galloway may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (stjude.org); and the First United Methodist Church of Blackwell, 524 W. Coolidge Ave., Blackwell, OK 74631.
