FALMOUTH -- William T. Galey III, 91, died Jan.
29, 2007, at New England
Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland following
brain surgery Jan. 11.
He was born Nov. 21, 1915, in Philadelphia,
Pa., the son of William T. Galey Jr. and Mary Lord. He graduated
from Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn. in 1934 and from Princeton
University in 1938.
In 1935, on a cruise to Bermuda, he met
the love of his life and wife of 67 years, Anne (Knight) Galey.
They were married in 1939.
In World War II, Bill was a naval officer
in the South Pacific, stationed with a land-based outfit charged
with air warning and fighter direction. He participated in the
invasions of Bouganville, Emirau and Ulithi. He spent most of
his business life in the textile industry as treasurer of Aberfoyle
Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia and later New York. Late
in his career, he partnered in a company marketing fuel additives.
Bill and Anne raised their family in
Bryn Mawr, Pa. until moving to Connecticut in 1962, where they
continued to live until Bill retired in 1983. They then moved
to Southern Pines, N.C., where for 10 years Bill organized an
annual outdoor music festival and taught a community college course
on the literary aspects of the gospels. His course materialsprovided
the basis for the publication of a series of articles and eventually
a booklet on the subject.
In the early 1950s, Bill and Anne began
summering on Chebeague Island and eventually bought property and
built a summer house to which they came every summer, gathered
their family around them, and where Bill continued to pursue his
love of golf, sailing, and picnicking up until his death. In 1998,
they moved their residence from North Carolina to Falmouth to
be closer to their children and grandchildren.
Bill joined the Maine Right to Life Organization
and served on the board of directors up until his death. Although
advanced in years, Bill was known for his unusual good health
and agility, both mental and physical. He was an avid reader,
a Lincoln aficionado, and loved classical music, big band and
musical scores. He was a devoted Catholic and faithful communicant
at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He will be remembered
for his spiritual love of life, his intelligence, generosity,
sense of humor, and especially for his devotion to his bride of
67 years.
Bill is survived by Anne, his adored
wife of 67 years; four children; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren,
Nancy Beal of Beals, widow of Ossie Beal, their children Lizzie
Anne Beal, Sonny Beal and his wife Abbi and their son Damon, Fair
Galey of Stoddard, N.H., her partner George Corrette, her daughter
Chelsea Agee and husband Anive Holmes and their daughter Icina,
Sally Barrows and husband John and their children, Rose Barrows
and her son Elijah Guilmet, and Zoe Pelligrino and husband Mark
and children Leila and Sebastian; and Bill Galey of Wilmette,
Ill. and his daughters Natalie and Alison. He is also survived
by a brother, Charles Chick Galey of Sheridan, Wyo.; several nieces,
nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents and sisters,
Jan Andruss and Mary Polly Wilson.
Visiting hours will be 4-6 p.m., on Friday,
Feb. 2, at the Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street,
Portland. Prayers will be recited at 10:15 a.m., on Saturday,
Feb. 3, at the funeral home, followed by an 11 a.m., Mass of Christian
Burial at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress
Street, Portland. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in
Yarmouth. Following the interment, friends and family are invited
to share refreshments and memories of Bill at his home in Falmouth.
The family would like to thank those
at NERHP who cared for and about Bill during his brief stay.
In lieu of flowers, Bill would like donations
directed to:
Maine Right to Life
P.O. Box 257
Auburn, Maine 04212
or to:
The Cumberland Mainland
& Islands Trust
P.O. Box 25
Chebeague Island, Maine 04017