William Joseph Gallo

Bill was born on July 16, 1933, to Elizabeth (Betty) and Joseph (Joe) Gallo in Upper Manhattan. He was the youngest of two sons, with his older brother being Anthony. The family later moved from Manhattan to the Bronx. Following Joe's sudden passing in 1943, meant the boys had to help support the family financially.

Bill worked numerous odd jobs to support the family's income while attending William H. Taft High School. He and his large group of friends were avid fans of the Yankees, Giants (NFL), and Rangers, with Bill's favorite player being Yogi Berra.

Bill eventually began working at CalTex (California-Texas Oil), where he held various positions. During this time, he met Marie Burkitt, a recent graduate of Dominican Commercial High School, who was working as a secretary at CalTex. After a brief courtship, they became engaged; however, company protocol dictated that they could not work together, prompting Bill to leave CalTex. He then held several short-term jobs until he was eventually hired at IBM (International Business Machines) in November 1967.

Previously, in 1962, Bill and Marie married and lived in a small apartment in Corona, Queens, where their three boys were born. In 1979, realizing they needed more space, they moved to Glendale, Queens, where they currently reside. Bill's career at IBM spanned several decades, during which he worked at various midtown Manhattan locations as a Facilities Manager.

Bill proudly served as President of the IBM annual Christmas Party in NYC for many years. Despite the event occurring a few weeks before Christmas, this was a yearlong volunteer position that he took immense pride in coordinating. He was responsible for sourcing gifts, a venue, food, entertainment, and more, culminating in a Saturday event designed to bring joy to IBM employees' children.

Bill's passion for baseball and volunteer work led him to become involved in the Ridgewood/Glendale/Middle Village Little League (RGMVLL), initially as a coach for his son Bill's team, and eventually coaching his younger sons' (Stephen and John) teams. His dedication and enthusiasm resulted in his election to several positions on the RGMV Board of Directors. A good athlete in his day, he enjoyed sharing his passion and knowledge with his sons and the boys on his teams.

Bill's retirement from IBM in 1992 allowed him and Marie to spend more time with their grandchildren, playing an active role in babysitting while their sons and daughters-in-law worked. Bill and Marie also enjoyed attending their grandchildren's sporting events in Sayville, Merrick, and New Jersey.

Bill is predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Elizabeth, as well as his older brother, Anthony. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marie; son Bill and his wife Claire of Sayville, NY; son Stephen of Old Bridge, NJ; and son John and his wife Robin of Merrick, NY. Bill is also survived by five grandchildren: Maxwell (son of Bill & Claire), Ryan (son of Stephen), and Julia, Thomas, and Michael (children of John and Robin).

Visitation has been entrusted to Werst & La Bella Funeral Home, 71-41 Copper Avenue, Glendale, NY, on Sunday, April 27, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart RC Church on Monday, April 28th, at 9:30 a.m., with interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, NY.

If you would like to make a donation in memory of William J. Gallo, please send to:

Archbishop Molloy High School 83-53 Manton Street Jamaica, NY 11435 (718)441-2100 https://www.molloyhs.org or https://www.molloyhs.org/givinghome/give