Galey Family Archives

What.....No football in Nebraska?

2012-02-04T14:00:00.000-08:00

As the diminutive Danny Woodhead joins his New EnglandPatriot teammates on the field in Indianapolistomorrow to do battle against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, I have asorry fact to report.

And I do so with full knowledge that in Nebraska, football is a religion, and I don’twant my Galey and Cunningham in-laws to excommunicate me from the family and brandme a “troublemaker” for divulging this fact.

A.V. Cunningham

Grandpa Cunningham was anti-football.

Now I’m not talking about Grandpa R.R. Cunningham who manyfamily members today remember from their youth in Whitney. I mean his dad, A.V. Cunningham of Giltner, that highlyregarded farmer who served two terms in the Nebraska legislature, from 1903 to 1907,representing his neighbors in Hamilton County.

Who knew?

Doing a little research on the Cunninghams yesterday whilevisiting Salt Lake City, I came across a story –not in the Omahaor Lincoln newspapers – but from a 1903 issue of the New York Times thatrevealed Grandpa Cunningham's dim view of football in colleges and high schools. Here’sthe text of the article:

LINCOLN, Neb.,Jan. 10 – Representative A. V. Cunningham of Hamilton Countyis credited with the authorship of a bill which will be introduced in theLegislature the coming week to prohibit playing football at the publiceducational institutions of the State.

“I amunalterably opposed to football as part of the athletic amusement of students,”said Mr. Cunningham. “I consider it morebrutal than prizefighting for the reason that in prizefighting only two men areengaged; in the game of football twenty-two are called upon to risk theirlives.

“Thepresence of a physician is not always required at a prizefight, but did youever hear of or see a game of football at which one or two physicians were notin attendance?”

Othermembers are in sympathy with the bill, but the game does not lack defendersamong the legislators.

Chance Galey (left) and his dad Gary Gene Galey in 2007

The good news is that Grandpa Cunningham’s bill failed andnever became law. And that was good newsfor boys on the gridiron from Omahaand Hastings all the way to Scottsluff and Chadron.

And I have a feeling that if A.V. had been around in theearly years of the 21^st Century, he would have been in the front rowcheering for his great-great-great-grandson, Chance Galey. Chance was a three-year starting center for the Chadron State College "Eagles" and was selected to the 2008 Football Gazette All-America Team. After studying environmental science and graduating from CSC in 2008, he's gone to work in the oil and gas industry for Halliburton and lives in Greeley, Colorado.

Gosh, if Gpa Cunningham’s bill had passed, the NebraskaCornhuskers could never have built their football dynasty. And Chance Galey would have missed a funcareer on the field at Chadron State.

And Danny Woodhead might not be suiting up for the Patriotstomorrow.

The Cunningham California connection

2011-03-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

The Galey-Cunningham connection, of course, was created by the 1933 marriage of Tom Galey to Eva Cunningham in Rushville, Nebraska. Tom Galey never set foot in California, but Eva did. At least twice that we know of. The purpose of those trips was to visit her sisters -- three of whom called California home.

All three of Eva's youngest sisters -- Elva, Lois, and Doris -- lived most of their adult lives in California. Likely, they were a part of the large wave of folks who sought the warmer climes and great opportunities that seemed to await in California.

Of course, it didn't take long and their relatives back home were eager to come visit. And that's exactly what appears to be going on in this picture when sister Geraldine (Cunningham) Kritenbrink and her family made the trek. This photo is undated, but it was taken in the L.A. area. The street sign shows the intersection of Gracia and Atwater, so it would see fairly easy to find out who was living near that intersection in the 1948-50 time period, when this photo was likely taken.

The "big folks" identified in the photo (left-to-right) are Roger Kritenbrink, little Jack Mosher, Elva Mosher, Dick Mosher, Lois Thompson, Abe Kritenbrink, Geraldine Kritenbrink, Kenny Kritenbrink, and Gordon Thompson. The younger girl in front is Peggy Mosher. Standing right behind her is her cousin, Betty Thompson.

A higher resolution version of this photo -- and more -- can be found in our Galey Gallery.

"Bully!" for the A.V. Cunningham family

2011-03-07T22:21:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the letter from the President of the United States should have been sent to Mary Jane (Poulson) Cunningham. After all, she had more than a passing involvement in circumstances that caused the letter to be written in the first place. Instead -- symbolic of that era -- it was sent to her husband, Alfred V. Cunningham, long-time Nebraska farmer, one-time state legislator, and one of our Galey family ancestors!

"The letter" was a treasured missive send to Cunningham in April of 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, congratulating Cunningham for what the Omaha Daily News called "his family of eight lusty boys." A prominent story about that letter and the Cunningham family -- replete with photographs but a rather curious headline -- was published by the Daily News (above) and included a copy of Roosevelt's letter and his autographed picture.

Cunningham was quoted as saying that there "wasn't money enough in this broad land" to buy that letter or photograph from him.

Mary Cunningham

Interestingly, A.V. Cunningham and his wife Mary were just 39 years old when he received the letter commending them on their family of eight boys. Roosevelt -- the youngest man to ever serve as a U.S. President -- had six children by the time he was 39 years old. He had become president in 1901 at just 42 years of age. Those were prolific times.

Alfred Vlandingham Cunningham's father -- James Cunningham -- came from Canada to the United States and married Caroline Stumph in 1858 at Circleville, Ohio. They moved to the Bloomington, Illinois, area, where Alfred was born in June of 1864. Afred's four sisters and one brother were also born in Illinois.

Alfred married Mary Jane Poulson in November of 1885 at Onarga, Illinois, where there first boys, Rayburn and Clarence were born. In November of 1888 the family relocated to Adams County in central Nebraska, later moving to the Trumbull vicinity of Hamilton County where Alfred continued to pursue farming. He was also active in the Masonic Order. There's also some evidence that he dabbled in the insurance business.

While the treasured 1903 letter from President Roosevelt referred to a family of eight Cunningham boys, there were in fact 10 boys. Two of them died in infancy. Those who grew to adulthood included Rayburn, Clarence, Lawson, Russell, Everett, Wayne, Clem, and Doyle.

A staunch Republican, "A.V." was elected to two terms in the Nebraska legislature -- in 1902 and again in 1904. He, his wife, and four younger sons moved to a farm north of Lodgepole, Nebraska, a few years later. Following a family holiday gathering at Christmas time in 1913, Alfred Cunningham died. He was 49 years old.

A.V. Cunningham

"Mr. Cunningham had arisen and built the kitchen fire, and as he stooped over to lace his shoes, was stricken with apoplexy," reported the Sidney Telegraph on January 3rd, 1914.

"Medical help was secured as soon as the bad roads permitted, but the gentleman expired at twelve fifteen, about five hours after the stroke."

Mary Cunningham lived many years beyond her husband; she died on June 10, 1937 in Iliff, Colorado. Both of them are buried in Hastings, Nebraska. Among their many surviving grandchildren was Eva (Cunningham) Galey; hence, the linkage to Galey Family Archives.

About Elisha...

2010-03-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

Very few surviving Galey descendants remember Elisha Galey.

Born in Branchville, Indiana on March 2, 1863, he was the fourth child born to Simon and Elizabeth Galey. Sometime in the 1870’s, the family moved to northwest Missouri. We don’t know what lured them there – it could have been the beautiful rolling hills and fertile farmlands of the Nodaway River valley. Or it could have been a job with the Burlington Railroad as it forged westward.

By the time of the 1880 census in Green Township, Elisha’s father had died (Mar 1879) and the 17-year-old Elisha had dropped out of school to help his mother and four sisters make ends meet.

Four years later, shortly after he turned 21 years old, Elisha married Eliza Ellen Milleson. That was May 15, 1884. While farming had been a primary pursuit for him, Elisha Galey also worked for Nodaway County and the Burlington Railroad.

Elisha and Eliza had 11 children, and we believe all of them were born in Missouri. However, sometime just prior to World War I, the family – save their son Leslie – set out for Montana, where they lived for nearly a decade along the slopes of the Judith Mountains not far from Lewistown. Little is known about this era of the Galey family; however, it's likely that Elisha pursued farm work during much of this time.

Then Elisha and Eliza, most of their children grown and gone from home, moved to Oregon. It was in the Portland area community of Canby that Elisha and Eliza spent their final years.

Some of their children – son Frank and daughters Ethel, Blanche, and Oma – all lived within a few hours of Canby and were able to help their parents and look after them. Eliza died on February 4, 1953 in Canby at age 85.

Elisha lived another five years. You'll find a few photographs of him in our Galey Gallery. On March 2, 1958, he celebrated his 95th birthday with family and friends. The occasion was documented by the undated newspaper article shown here.

Elisha Galey passed away on December 5, 1958.

A band of Cherokees?

2010-03-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

Is there Cherokee blood in the Galey family line? That’s the question Stanley Johnson was dealing with recently when he sent us a photograph of Winnie (Galey) Marshall (1866-1945).

Stan lives in St. Joseph, Missouri.

We’ve danced around the possibility of Indian heritage in the Galey line for many years – noticing the darker complexion and facial features of James Thomas Galey (1890-1958).

But until Stan sent us this photograph of Winnie (Galey) Marshall – with his question about any Cherokee blood in the family -- we hadn’t seen much photographic evidence to support that notion. Nor had we thought much about it. We've not been able to confirm the date or location of this photo, but Stan says that's Winnie on the left, alongside young Darlene Allison. Darlene is one of three children who belonged to Jane Colwell Miller's husband, John Miller.

Having looked at this picture of Winnie a bit closer, the question of Cherokee blood has risen again. We’ll now have to give closer scrutiny to that idea.

Take a peek at photos we’re posting in the Galey Gallery and see what you think.

Stanley Johnson is a grandson of Elizabeth Sprinkle Galey's daughter Clara Galey Colwell. Like the Galey clan, several generations of Colwells have resided in the Illinois/Missouri area.

Now that we’ve established communication with Stan, we’re hoping to be able to exchange further information and photographs regarding our Galey ancestors. As we’re able to nail down some facts and identify folks in photographs, we’ll begin posting many of those items on this site.

Journalistic blunder or...?

2009-12-14T08:44:00.000-08:00

Our report of October 11, 2009 heralded a possible “cousin” relationship between the Galey family of Whitney, Nebraska in the last half of the 20th century and the “Gealy” Mathis family of Chadron. Still an unlikely scenario, it fell in to my “Who’d-a-thunk it” category.

Noticing that it’s been a while since I rattled the cage of Galey research, I started foraging through my too-fat and unorganized file of the Galey family papers and happened across the news clipping shown here. It’s a front-page story from the Friday, August 2, 1929 edition of the Chadron (Nebr) Journal, reporting the death of a John Galey, stricken while fossil hunting north of Chadron.

My earlier memory of a “Gealy” spelling in this story proved wrong. But I’m not convinced that the newspaper got the spelling correct, especially if the Mr. Galey of Gordon described in the story was a member of the “Gealy” clan up in Sheridan County. You can click on the image at left to see a larger version of this story.

A bit more research is necessary. These Galeys are a slippery lot.

Who'd-a-thunk it?

2009-10-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Those “brick walls” that confound genealogists sometimes offer tiny holes through which one can snatch a bit of family history that is both surprising and unexpected. It might not be as exhilarating as bounding over those obstacles in a single leap, but it’s still rewarding!

Such was the case last spring when I received an e-mail from a gent named Glenn Gealy, who lives in Maryland. He had happened across our Galey-Miller website on Rootsweb.

“An interesting coincidence,” he wrote, that “Bernard Galey died in my hometown of Gordon Nebraska in 1995. I believe this family originated in Lancaster Co. PA about 1750 (Benjamin Galey, of Little Britain Twp, who died 1777), moved to Kentucky, then to Montgomery Co., Indiana. I would like to correspond with you. Glenn”

I was hooked. Many years earlier, I had come across a newspaper article about a “Gealy” family in Sheridan County, Nebraska. Intriguing as it was, I was confident that there was no relationship to “my” Galey family of Dawes County. It appears my confidence…..again…..was misplaced.

I had known for many years that our Galey ancestors had arrived in Dawes County from Missouri and – before that – Indiana. All of a sudden, it seemed that there just might be a relationship between the Gealys of Gordon and the Galeys of Whitney.

But then the story got even weirder.

In later correspondence with Glenn Gealy, he dropped a bombshell: “Having lived in Chadron – did you know of Gealy William Mathis, otherwise known as ‘Gealy Bill’? He is my father’s second cousin”

As Karen’s cousin Kenny Kritenbrink would say, “Who’d-a-thunk it?”

Know him?!?! Anyone living in or around Chadron, Nebraska, during the last half of the 20th century knew Gealy Mathis. Gealy was something of a “renaissance man.” He was an able individual with the instincts of a survivor. Born on a farm in Sheridan County, he grew up in the country and graduated from school in Clinton, Nebraska, got married and went in to the Navy, landing in Chadron after the service.

I remember him as a long-time employee of the once vibrant Chadron Milling Company. Those were the days when there were three major employers in Chadron: the railroad, the mill, and the college. Gealy ultimately became manger of the mill, but then it burned down. Chadron Milling was devastated not by just one fire – but two.

Doubtless, Gealy loved the community and was committed to remain there and raise his family, even after fire had snatched away his livelihood. He ran the Texaco bulk plant and service station for a while, and then became manager of the Ideal supermarket. Then he became service manager for the Chevrolet garage, and then parts manager for the Ford garage.

A member of the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department for more than 40 years, Gealy was Fire Chief for over 20 years. Involved in so many civic and community organizations, it was no surprise that he was handily elected Dawes County Clerk in 1974 – a job he held until he retired in 1986.

The week after Glen Gealy wrote to me about his uncle “Gealy Bill” in Chadron, we received the news about Gealy Mathis’ death. The Chadron Record posted his obituary on-line.

Of Gealy’s family, I know his son Jerry best. Although we went to separate schools – I was a “Cardinal” and was a long-time “Junior Eagle,” – he was my age and we often competed in sporting events.

During those high school years, Jerry and I dated a couple of girls who were best friends: Shelley and Karen. And all the while, Jerry and Karen were likely shirt-tail "cousins."

Who’d-a-thunk it?

We didn’t.

Tombstone folly

2009-07-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

James Thomas Galey died 51 years ago today in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

That fact spurred memories about a claim by Tom that remains something of a mystery to this day.

Budding genealogists would quickly note – as I once did – that James Thomas Galey died in 1958 at age 58. After all, he had always alleged that he had been born in 1900. That’s probably why his death certificate says he was born in 1900 – as does his tombstone in the Whitney, Nebraska cemetery.

But all was not as it seemed.

In the summer of 1989, more than 30 years after Tom Galey, Sr., died, I was in Portand, Oregon on two weeks of active duty training with the Navy. One weekend, I rented a car and drove south down Interstate-5 to Woodburn, where I met one of Karen’s uncles – Frank Galey.

Lee Frank Galey was by that time long since retired from Portland Power and Light Company. A life-long bachelor, “Frank” lived in a quiet neighborhood of Woodburn populated by senior citizens.

When I took this photograph of Frank, he was 79 years old and still quite active. The golf cart in his garage was well used, and I suspect he was among the very first Galey to pick up a golf club. ‘Twould have been fun to watch him compete with his nephews Bob and Gary Galey, who are both afflicted with the golf bug.

There’s no mistaking that Frank was a Galey. His facial features resembled several of the Galey clan, and I think he particularly resembled Tommy Galey (1934-2006).

Frank was a great story teller and delighted in recalling his visit to Nebraska some years earlier, when those “two little girls of Eva’s helped run down and wring the neck of a chicken” – destined to be the main course for dinner that night.

During our conversations about the Galey family and their migration from Indiana to Montana, Frank revealed a fact that had been obscured over the years. His older brother Tom Galey (1890-1958) wasn’t born in 1900 – as he had claimed and as was inscribed on his tombstone. It seems that Tom, for whatever reason, perpetrated a hoax that lingered beyond the grave.

Frank insisted that he – not Tom – was the only Galey boy born in 1900. And Tom, he noted, was 10 years older than him!

There is little doubt that Tom Galey fibbed about when he was born – the only real question is why.

The most likely explanation had to do with that young Cunningham woman he started dating shortly after he wandered into western Nebraska when he was about 40 years old. It was just prior to the Great Depression, and he had been smitten by the young Eva Cunningham, a schoolmarm who was half his age. My best guess is that he shaved the truth by about 10 years in order to narrow the gap in their ages.

When they finally wed on November 25,1933 in Rushville, Nebraska, she had just turned 24 and he was 43…..er, 33!

Only his brother, Frank Galey, would finally set the record straight. And census records substantiate his assertion. A few short years after our conversation in Woodburn, Frank Galey died. He was 87 years old. We would like to have known him better. He liked to get at the truth of things!

Fran Galey (1962-2009)

2009-05-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

We said good-bye today to Fran Galey.

She died far too young – only 46 years old. She passed away last Tuesday (4/28/09) in Riverton, Wyoming, after a lengthy battle with a brain tumor. She was the wife of Jay Galey, and a daughter-in-law to Gary and Zoleta Galey of Crawford.

Fran was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, to Larry and Patricia Dowse. They moved to Riverton, where Fran graduated from high school in 1980. She earned degrees in science and education at Chadron State College, where she met Jay. They married in Crawford, Nebraska in June 1984. They had three children: Jaycy, Kelsey, and Thomas “T.J.”

Fran had a remarkable career in the classroom, teaching science for six years in Spalding, Nebraska, before taking a teaching job in Ord, Nebraska, where she remained for 13 years. The family moved to Riverton in 2005, where she taught middle school science. Fran was a real supporter of youth baseball and served on the boards of Little League and Babe Ruth baseball.

Most of our relationship with Fran was during Galey family gatherings in Crawford at Gary and Zoleta's home. She was a bright and talented young lady whose commitment to education was strong, and she delighted in the accomplishments of her children.

A favorite teacher for many, it was no surprise that St. Margaret’s Parish Hall in Riverton was filled this morning (5/2/09) with people who’d come to pay their respects to Fran and offer their condolences and support to Jay, Jaycy, Kelsey, T.J., and the Dowse and Galey families. It was a beautiful day for the interment at Mountain View Cemetery in Riverton, and it was a touching ceremony.

Here is text of Fran’s obituary as it appeared in the Thursday, April 30, 2009 edition of The Ranger, Fremont County's daily newspaper.

For Karen

2009-03-22T00:50:00.000-07:00

50 years together!

2009-02-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

We probably don't report as much about Galey "cousins" as we should. So this posting recognizes the singular achievement of Galey cousin Roger Kritenbrink and his wife, Sally, who have just celebrated (2/7/09) their 50th wedding anniversary. Congratulations!

Roger is the older son of the late Abe and Gerry (Cunningham) Kritenbrink. Gerry and Eva Galey were Cunningham sisters.

Their sons spent quite a bit of time together; in fact, rumor has it the Roger Kritenbrink and Tommy Galey joined the Navy together back before the beginning of the nuclear era!

Shown above is a photograph of the Roger and Sally Kritenbrink wedding with their parents at side. The Shays are on the left, the Kritenbrinks on the right. The following note was posted in the February 8, 2009 edition of the Rapid City Journal:

RAPID CITY - Roger and Sally Kritenbrink celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Feb. 7, 2009. They were married in Belle Fourche. Their children are Julie and James Ledlum, Brooklyn Park, Minn.; Steven and Jeanette Kritenbrink, Alpine, Utah; and Michael and Mary Kritenbrink, Centennial, Colo. They have seven grandchildren.

100 years ago...

2009-02-03T14:42:00.000-08:00

It was 100 years ago this month that Margaret Thompson, a quiet young lady from Giltner, Nebraska, married a young man from Illinois, 22-year-old Rayburn Cunningham. They tied the knot on February 5, 1909 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The rest, as they say, is history!

The snapshot above was taken in 1959 as they were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in California, where they often visited daughters living there. They had nine children, seven of whom grew to adulthood. Among them was their oldest daughter, Eva, who married James Thomas Galey in 1933. Their family spurred the creation of this Galey Family Archive! Our thanks to Carl Wells of Valentine, Nebraska, for sending us this photograph. We've seen similar ones taken at this event -- but not this one!

Dinner at Marge's

2009-01-18T23:41:00.000-08:00

One of the more recent photograph of the children of Tom and Eva Galey -- this one taken January 16, 2009 at Margaret Galey's home in Chadron, Nebraska. Left to right are Bob, Margaret, Karen and Gary.

2008-12-25T10:24:00.000-08:00

Chance ends football career

2008-12-01T15:05:00.000-08:00

The football season is over, and it was another great year for the Chadron State Eagles, three-time winner of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Although they lost their second round NCAA Division II playoff game to Minnesota-Duluth, they chalked up 11 wins against just two losses for the year. If you're a stats kind of person, you'll find it all at the CSC Athletics website.

It also marked the end of Chance Galey's football career with the Eagles. It's been a fun year following Chance and the Eagles. We didn't attend all of the games, but enough to appreciate the great job they did. We know that Chance's dad, Gary Gene, wasn't able to attend all of the games either, but at the home games, he almost always had a camera in hand. He captured the photo above of Chance "discussing" with a referee the fact that a defensive opponent made off with his helmet!

This photo is Chance with Gary Gene after one of the late-season home games. Needless to say, all the Galey clan is proud of Chance's performance on the field and in the classroom. When the president of CSC heaps praise upon a student, it's usually well deserved. Way to go, Chance!

We've got her number!

2008-07-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

For Galey family members who aren't familiar with SKYPE, I'm posting this Link to Skype, which can provide you with a fun and free way to carry on audio/video conversations with friends and family -- even if they're on the other side of the world!

Posted here is a photo of Ailey Mann, the little cutie belonging to Charles and Say Mann, who live in Osaka, Japan. She's now about 10 weeks old. Charles and Say met while Charles was serving with the Peace Corps in the South Pacific a couple of years ago. Charles is the grandson of Margaret Galey. He's the son of Ed and Renee Mann.

To use Skype, you'll need to sign up for their free service, since they do offer a service for fee. Of course, you'll need a computer -- which most of us have -- and a camera that plugs in to the computer. I got mine from Wal-Mart for about $30 or so.

In this instance, we received an on-screen notification that Charles had sent us a Skype message. We sat down and responded. Although Charles was away from his computer, our call was forwarded -- for free -- to his cellular phone in Osaka. Karen had a nice conversation with him, and he said he'd send us some new pictures of baby Ailey via e-mail. That's one of those pictures you see posted here.

If you haven't used Skype, especially if you have family/friends on the other side of the world, we heartily recommend it!

Welcome to our world

2008-05-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

We were so pleased to hear that Charles and Say Mann -- now residents of Osako, Japan -- are the parents of a brand-spankin' new baby girl named Ailey Jomi Mann. The little gal was born last week and weighed in at six and one-half pounds and was 19-inches long.

Since she was born right in the middle of "Golden Week" in Japan, father Charles has proclaimed that they have their very own "Golden Child"!

We look forward to hearing and seeing more about this little cutie in the months to come! Those are the proud parents shown below. Charles is the son of Ed and Renee Mann of Chadron, Nebraska. He and wife Say met in the South Pacific when Charles was serving in the Peace Corps. Margaret Galey of Chadron is Ailey's great-grandmother.

Lee family: Big Family-Big Hearts

2008-02-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

One of the curses of these modern times is the ready mobility that allows families to drift apart geographically. Fortunately, one of its blessings is a technology that allows us to also keep in touch.

Of late, we’ve been thinking more and more about the Tom and Dorothy (Gannon) Galey family in Texas – taken there in the 1980s when Tom retired from the Navy. They had thought Dorothy’s native Arkansas might be their new home, and it was for a while. But employment opportunities and their continuing desire to remain in a warm climate kept them in the South – namely, Lubbock, Texas.

We’ve followed with concern and awe the magnificent spirit displayed by Tom and Dorothy’s grandson, Shawn Walton, who was seriously injured last summer in Iraq. We’ve posted updates on his recovery, and latest word is that he continues to make progress.

Most of our Galey communications out of Texas comes from Tom’s daughter, Sheila, who also lives in Lubbock. And this posting is about Sheila and her remarkable family.

“Remarkable” is an accurate descriptor, because you’ll have to go a long ways to find good folks who are mid-stream in raising their natural family, and then decide to do something that is really rare.

They adopted a child. Well, that in and of itself may not be a rarity – but when you adopt three children, well, that constitutes extreme rarity! It also reflects staunch commitment and enormous love.

Robert and Sheila Lee share a deep faith in God and have long demonstrated a commitment “to the mission field of children in need.” Nearly three years ago, they became foster parents of three children in need of a home.

There is an enormous need for foster parents nationwide. And Texas – being Texas – has a BIG need for such special people.

And so it was that Jazmine, Nico and Kylie joined the Lee family on the south side of Lubbock. Seven-year-old Jazmine and six-year-old Nico are Hispanic; Kylie, 2, has shaken-baby syndrome. Such youngsters are more difficult to place in adoptive homes. These nearly three years of loving foster care have brought about a transformation in these youngsters – and likely the entire Lee family. Their story is touchingly told in a recent edition in the Baptist Standard, the Texas Baptist Newsjournal.

Sheila chose to give up her nursing career to “be the wife and mother I need to be,” and Robert quit his job for a year so he could stay home and help care for Kylie. Sheila and Robert’s love of children is obvious to those who visit their home – as we have upon occasion. On November 16th of 2007, when they formally adopted these three youngsters, the Lee family began a new voyage.

In her newsletter to family and friends last Christmas, Sheila wrote, “We are anxious, scared and hopeful to see where next year will take us.” Little did she know that not only their family size would grow – but so, too, would the challenges facing them.

In January, Robert was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was quickly scheduled for surgery on January 30th, and doctors actually attacked the tumor through the nasal cavity. The surgery went well, and he remained in Intensive Care for two days. Now out of ICU, Robert and his expanded family received the best news possible, the biopsy determined that the tumor was benign – there was no cancer.

It’s as if the Lord intervened and revealed that he has other plans for Robert and the Lee family. Whatever that may be, we admire the compassion and courage displayed by each and every one of this wonderful family.

May Robert’s recovery be swift and certain, for we’re eager to watch the continued accomplishments of this remarkable family.

Off to Osaka

2007-12-29T15:42:00.000-08:00

It's heartwarming to see new generations living their lives in a way that changes our world.

Yesterday, Karen and I spent a couple of hours in Chadron at sister Margaret's house, joining in a "welcome home" and "congratulations" celebration for Charles Mann, one of Margaret Galey's five grandsons.

Charles recently finished two years in the Peace Corps as a volunteer in the Federation of Micronesia. We had followed his adventure early on, but only upon his return home did we immerse ourselves in his blogs from the South Pacific. What we learned was that Charles is a good photographer, an outstanding writer, and an inquistive soul with a real sense of adventure. A teacher, Charles' weblogs about his experiences on a little isle in the pacific were compelling. It is clear that he quickly fell under the spell of the beautiful children he was teaching, and -- as is true for most teachers -- he learned much, gaining insight and understanding of a markedly different culture.

Perhaps the most moving parts of Charles' blogs were those moments when he eloquently affirmed the importance of family and faith in his life. Charles is an unabashed Christian, and his spirituality comes through with a simplicity and honesty that is refreshing -- without stuffiness or condescension. We weren't surprised to learn that; only amazed that it was so comfortably manifest in someone so relatively young.

But Charles brought home more than a wonderful experience -- he brought home a new bride! The celebration at Margaret's was a chance for family and friends to meet Sayaka Mann, a delightful young lady Charles met during his volunteer stint. We understand that Say and her brother ran a diving school in Micronesia, but her parents live in Osaka, Japan.

In the photo above, Say and Charles are surrounded (behind) by their immediate family members (left-to-right) sister Heather, mom Renee, dad Ed, and brothers Keith and James.

By the end of January 2008, Charles and Say will be on their way to Japan and a new life together. Congratulations to them both, and our warm wishes for a happy life! Thanks to Margaret for hosting this event. Here is a link to a few photos of the young couple with family and friends before they take "Off to Osaka!"

Shawn Comes Home for Christmas

2007-12-23T13:56:00.001-08:00

Our grandnephew, Shawn Walton, was wounded earlier this year in Iraq. This video by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, documents his road to recovery. Shawn had a special relationship with his grandfather, Tom Galey. We couldn't help thinking about how proud Tommy would be of Shawn and his family.

The Eagles Had Heart!

2007-11-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

The song "Heart" from the Broadway show “Damn Yankees” back in the mid-1950s became a hit recording for both Eddie Fisher and the McGuire Sisters. But its lyrics could well have been penned for the Chadron State Eagles football team in their stellar comeback last weekend (Nov. 24th) against Abilene Christian.

You’ve gotta have heart
All you really need is heart
When the odds are sayin'
You’ll never win
That’s when the grin should start

The Eagles simply wouldn't accept defeat. Despite trailing the Abilene Christian "Wildcats" by 29 points in the third period, the CSC "Eagles" displayed great stamina -- and even greater heart -- by chipping away slowly at that margin as the minutes and seconds raced off the clock in the fourth quarter. It was a second round NCAA Division II playoff for the southwest region, played in Chadron (Nebr.) on a soggy Elliott Field.

You've gotta have hope
Mustn't sit around and mope

The heart displayed by the Eagles shone no brighter than from the CSC sideline, as star running back Danny Woodhead climbed atop a bench, as he often has done this year, to rally the crowd behind the Eagle defense. The sheer tenacity of offense and defense alike allowed the Eagles to narrow the gap -- albeit at a pace that was agonizingly slow. The clock was not their friend. But finally, at the end of regulation play, Chadron State had managed, almost unbelievably, to tie Abilene Christian, 56-56. A joyous moment for Eagles fans, and a moment of consternation for the many fans who'd left the game at the end of the third period.

When your luck is battin' zero

Get your chin up off the floor

Mister you can be a hero

Your can open any door...

There's nothin' to it but to DO it!

And then there were THREE overtime periods. In the end, it was a series of enormous team efforts that gave Chadron a 76-73 win over Abilene. Read game highlights, written so ably by legendary sportswriter Con Marshall, on the CSC web site.

The high score and great drama caught the attention of the New York Times, which has enjoyed giving its lofty, if not somewhat condescending, coverage of "tiny Chadron State." It reminds me of the perpetual toungue-in-cheek coverage of Slippery Rock (PA) football scores over several decades. Read what the Times had to say about the Chadron State-Abilene Christian game.

Our appetites, and those of thousands of other Eagles fans, are whetted for the next chapter in this wonderful unfolding of Chadron State College athletic history. That will occur next Saturday, December 1, when the Northwest Missouri University team invades Chadron for another round of Division II playoffs. Stay tuned!

Hats off to the Eagles -- they had heart!

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The above was posted to Black Hills Journal on November 25, 2007. As noted in this blog earlier, Chance Galey of Crawford, Nebraska is our grand nephew. Like other family members, we're proud of his achievements and continue to follow the Eagles closely as they push forward in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

October 29 Update on Shawn

2007-10-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Army Staff Sergeant Shawn Walton, a grandson of the late Tom Galey of Lubbock, Texas, continues his slow recovery from wounds he received in Iraq. He is hospitalized again at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

His aunt, Sheila Lee, tells us that he has been in and out of the hospital, he has staph infection of the bone in his left arm, had a recent bout with pneumonia, and has had a couple of more surgeries on his left arm.

He is walking some.....his spirits are good........and he frequently expresses that he is thankful to be home, alive, and with whatever use of his limbs he has. We hope you'll keep Shawn and his young family -- as well as his mother, Teresa -- in your thoughts and prayers.

Keeping Your Eye on the Ball!

2007-10-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

Like many guys growing up in small rural communities in the 1950s, I fancied myself a pretty good athlete. That perception was moderated quite a bit when I joined the Navy and started occasionally playing sports with kids from all over the country. I started to feel….well…..average!

It’s been a lot of fun watching Galey kids excel in sports. I suspect several of the Lubbock Galeys were good athletes, and now we’re seeing the prowess of Chance Galey, son of Gary Gene and Kim, grandson of Gary and Zoleta, and great grandson of Tom (the guy on the horse at the top of this blog) and Eva Galey. That’s Chance and his cousin, Kelsey Galey, in the photograph above.

Chance is the standout center on perhaps the best football team ever fielded by Chadron State College. Even without their star running back, Harlon Hill award-winner Danny Woodhead, the Eagles were able to handily defeat arch-rival NU-Kearney last week on national television, 28-16.

In his second year of starting for the Eagles, Chance has demonstrated great talent as an athlete. But what makes his success on the field even sweeter is the fact that Chance is a top-notch student. This week, he added another accolade to the list. He was named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Conference Academic First Team. No other school had more than four players named to the first team. CSC had 13! That’s quite an achievement.

Long after the recognition and applause for his sports career, Chance’s accomplishments in the classroom will stand him in good stead.

Of course, I’m biased, but Chance Galey is also simply a really good kid. Or should I say “young man.” That, he certainly is. His parents, grandparents, and all of his family are justifiably proud of him. Well done, Chance!

Now, sports fans, keep your eye on the Galey family in Riverton!

Update on Shawn

2007-10-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

Wounded in Iraq, Shawn Walton continues his slow recovery from massive injuries to his arm and leg. Last week, we learned that shawn has been released from the hospital, but he is undergoing extensive physical therapy at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. The good news is that -- with assistance and a cane -- he is walking a little. He is still enduring much pain, we are told, and we hope you'll join us in continuing prayer for Shawn and his family. If you'd like to send him a note or card, his address is:

SGT Shawn Walton
3625 George C. Beach BLVD
Room 431
Fort Sam Houston, TX 79234

Prayers for Shawn

2007-09-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

Shawn Walton is a grandson to Dorothy Galey and the late Tom Galey of Lubbock, Texas.

In early September, we received word that the 21-year-old soldier had been seriously wounded in Iraq.

Flown first to Germany for surgery, Shawn was then brought home to the United States for further surgery. He was in Maryland for a short time before they transferred him September 6th to San Antonio, where he remains hospitalized.

Reports indicated that Shawn's left arm and leg were seriously injured and his left hip was fractured. The sciatic nerve in his left leg was severed and considerable damage was done by shrapnel. He also suffered eye damage, which became infected. He has experienced considerable pain. Extensive reconstructive surgery has taken place, and it is clear this young man will have a long road to recovery -- perhaps a year or more.

The names and numbers of the war casualties in Iraq have been around the periphery of our awareness. With the injuries sustained by this young man, the war has been brought home in a profound way.

We keep Shawn, his mother Teresa, and their entire family in our prayers.

Welcome to the Galey Archives Blog

2007-06-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

In the coming days, we'll be posting information and anecdotes that relate to the rich heritage of the Galey family of western Nebraska and their many ancestors.

We also invite you to visit the various web sites that deal with family genealogy, photographs, and related topics. Links are located in the column to the right.

In the meantime, if you have information or photographs to share -- or if you have questions, please contact us at galeymedia@gmail.com

Thanks for visiting Galey Archives.