Funeral services for 87-year-old John L. Galle, Sr. of Windom, Minnesota, will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at the First Presbyterian Church in Windom. The church is located at 336 11th Street.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, February 9, 2015, at LaCanne Family Funeral Home in Windom, located at 2280 6th Avenue. Another visitation will be at the church the day of the funeral service from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
A Masonic Service will be held at the funeral home on Monday at 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the First Presbyterian Church of Windom or charity of donor’s choice.
John L. Galle, Sr. was born on May 8, 1927, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of the late Henry John and Anga Charlotte (Pederson) Galle. He was confirmed at St. Luke Episcopal Church in 1940. John received his early education at William Penn in Minneapolis and then graduated from Southwest High School in Minneapolis with the Class of 1945. In May of 1945, John enlisted in the United States Navy and served during World War II. In August 1946, he was honorably discharged and returned to Minneapolis. He then furthered his education at the University of Minnesota.
On September 30, 1950, John was united in marriage to Virginia B. Bollman at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. This marriage was blessed with three children, John, Jr., Jeffrey and Maren. In 1953, they moved to Windom from Minneapolis. John opened the Ben Franklin Store in Windom, operating it for 25 years until selling the business in 1978. He also was the city arena manger, where he built the racquetball courts and was a crop adjuster. For 12 years, John was the Mayor of Windom and throughout his life, he always promoted Windom.
John was a longtime, dedicated member of the First Presbyterian Church in Windom, where he was an elder, trustee and usher through the years. He was also active in his community through the years as a member of the Windom Jaycees, where he was President and in 1958 receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the state association; a member of the Prudence Lodge 97 AF and AM, where he was a Mason and Shriner at the Zurah Temple; 29-year member of the Windom Fire Department, where he was assistant chief and started the retirement program after the Quevli fire; 60-year member of American Legion Post #206; a member of the Windom Chamber of Commerce and Toastmasters and was on the airport commission.
John had many enjoyments in life, which included flying, especially his own plane; traveling; working in his wood shop, where he made many gadgets including cribbage boards, puzzles, gavels, wooden scissors and belly button brushes, among other things; being a ham radio operator for 50 years; playing cribbage and racquetball, but most of all, he loved time spent with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
John and Virginia moved to Remick Ridge in Windom several years ago and John later moved to the Good Samaritan Society-Sogge Memorial in Windom.
On February 4, 2015, he became suddenly ill and was taken to the Windom Area Hospital in Windom where he passed away later that evening.
John is survived by his wife of 64 years, Virginia Galle of Windom; three children, John L Galle, Jr of Chesapeake, Virginia, Jeffrey Galle, Sr. and his wife, Shelley of Warroad, Minnesota and Maren Galle Swingen of East Grand Forks, Minnesota; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.
Preceding him in death were his parents and one brother, Curtis.