Glenn Wallace Gallaher – Obituary

Glenn Wallace Gallaher of Waynesboro, TN passed away Sunday, September 2, 2012 after a long struggle with lung, neurological, and bone diseases. Glenn was born February 7, 1938 in Wayne County, TN, the eldest of three sons of Marion William and Margaret Grimes Gallaher. Glenn attended elementary school at Ray School, one of the last one-room country public schools located on Hog Cree, Wayne County, TN. He transferred to Wayne County Elementary School in Waynesboro, TN in the 7th grade and graduated from Wayne County High School, Waynesboro, TN in 1956.

Besides having extremely high intellectual abilities in areas of English and History, he was an outstanding athlete. He excelled in Latin and word power all during his middle and high school years. In fact, he was eager each month for the next issue of the Readers Digest to learn the new list of words that was always there. The origin and meaning of words was a life-long hobby that he enjoyed. Because of his football skills, he attended Marion Institute in Marion, AL for two years on a football scholarship and played football one season for Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA. Glenn earned college credits from Marion Institute, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt University, Belmon University, and graduated with a BS degree from Austin Pea State University in Clarksville, TN in 1964 with a double major in English and History. He continued his post graduate education for several years and had most credits completed toward a M. Ed. Degree in counseling.

Glenn used his skills in various career pursuits, including Welfare officer in Hohenwald, TN, Western Electric in Atlants, GA, and secondary education school teacher in Waynesboro, TN. He and his family owned and operated businesses in Nashville, TN (a grocery store), a newspaper and book publishing business in Waynesboro, TN, and a book publishing business in High Springs, FL.

Glenn is survived by a son Jeffrey Wade Gallaher of Hohenwald, TN; two daughters, Crystal Gayle Gallaher and Brooke Christian Gallaher of Gainesville, FL; one grandson, Harley Gallaher of Hohenwald, TN; his mother, Margaret Grimes Gallaher of Waynesboro, TN; and a brother, Dr. Raymond Noel Gallaher from Suwannee, FL.. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins–mostly in TN. His father, Marion William Gallaher and youngest brother, William (Billy) Claude Gallaher preceded him in death.

Glenn was very happy to be a father and doted on his children. He would read them poetry when they were small and taught them how to see natural beauty in the world. He shared his love of Shakespeare and the oral traditions of the South with them and recorded many hours of lyrics on tapes. Glenn was deeply loved by all of his children. He was blessed with a great singing voice, liked classical music, and wrote eloquently of woodland and country experiences.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 11:00 AM at the Shackelford Funeral Home Chapel in Waynesboro, TN with Bobby Pinckley and Ronnie Pope officiating. Glenn’s body will be interred in Memorial Gardens, Waynesboro, TN immediately following the services with Shackelford Funeral Directors, Wayne County, directing.