Wayne M. Galloway passed away on January 26, 2024 after a brief illness. He was 89.
Wayne is survived by his wife Shirley; five children, Victoria, Kevin, Elizabeth, Aaron, and Rebecca; three
grandchildren Kristin, Jason, and Savanna; and four great-grandchildren.
Wayne was born in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada, on September 10, 1934 to Goldie (Ferguson) and William
Wright. His adoptive father was Eldon Leonard Galloway. The family moved to Washington State in 1938.
As a boy, Wayne was involved in Boy Scouts, 4H, church groups, and enjoyed playing baseball and
football. During high school, Wayne worked on a local farm in the summer. It was while picking beans
that he met the woman he would marry in 1953 – Shirley Ann Houser. Wayne and Shirley were married
for 70 years.
Wayne served his country, entering the U.S. Army in 1955. Later, he enlisted in the Oregon Air National
Guard’s weather forecasting unit and was active in the U.S. Air Force Reserve intelligence unit, retiring
with a rank of Sen. Master Sergeant. Wayne served during Desert Storm, and later became commander
of the Lineville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9581.
Wayne worked at ALCOA, in Vancouver, Washington, retiring after 30 years. Wayne attended Clark
College where he obtained his associate degree and also completed a two-year technology-electronics
program at Mount Hood Community College.
Wayne encouraged the next generation to become self-confident and self-reliant, leading youth groups
for over 15 years. His Boy Scouts Troop 304 hiked, camped, canoed, and took bicycle trips, sometimes
taking part in activities co-organized by Shirley’s troop of Camp Fire Girls. Wayne also joined the local
Ptarmigan Club and climbed most of the Pacific Northwest’s mountains.
A natural leader, he was active in local politics, being elected Precinct Committeeman in 1980, and was
always supportive of his wife’s political activities during her terms as a Washington State Representative.
Wayne and Shirley researched their own family histories to gain a greater understanding of the lives and
challenges faced by their ancestors, and then helped others to learn more about the past. Appreciative
of history, Wayne purchased and rebuilt a cottage of 1929 vintage and later, a 1922 farmhouse. Wayne
and Shirley eventually settled in Lineville, Alabama, near to the place Shirley’s ancestors had
homesteaded, building a cabin and main house on the property.
Wayne built a sense of community and purpose within the United Methodist Church, attending the East
Vancouver United Methodist, in Vancouver, Washington, St. John’s United Methodist Church in
Anderson, South Carolina, and the Lineville First United Methodist Church, in Lineville, Alabama. At each,
Wayne would lead youth and adult activities, and lend a hand to the upkeep of church buildings.
Exercising his love of adventure and life-long learning, Wayne and Shirley traveled internationally while
in their 70s and 80s, visiting countries in Europe, and Africa, and making special trips to the Holy Lands.
His gentle leadership, steadfast support, work ethic, optimism, humor, and selfless desire to create a
better life for his family and others, will be missed.
A Celebration of Life for Wayne Galloway is scheduled for March 9, 2024 at First United Methodist
Church in Lineville, AL. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the First United
Methodist Church in Lineville, Alabama (https://linevillemethodistchurch.org/), or the Alabama Veterans
of Foreign Wars (https://vfwal.org/di/vfw/v2/)
