Desta Lena Galler

Desta Lena Galler (Larson) of Knoxville, TN, went to her Heavenly Father on August 23, 2016 at age 85. She passed away peacefully at Parkwest Hospital after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Born January 24, 1931 in Dickenson County, VA, to Nora Exie & David Peter Bartley, Lena was 8th of 11 children: Virgil, Ervin, Raymond, Lucille, Palmer, Estil, Jackie, Christine, Gary and Lorena. She married Alfred Galler in 1948. They had five children: Randy (Kyra) Galler, Angie (George) Bowen, Susan Galler (Steve McCoy), Jeff (Shelia) Galler, Gina (Phil) Price. Alfred, an ex-Prisoner of War, died in 1992. Lena later married ex-POW Oliver Larson in 1997. She was a member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War, Smokey Mountain Chapter. Lena was a dedicated Headstart educator for Knox County Schools and taught Sunday school at West View United Methodist Church, where she was an active member until it closed. She later attended Cokesbury UMC. She is survived by her youngest two siblings Gary (Phyllis) and Lorena Hay; her brother-in-law Weldon Galler, sister-in-law Lorena (Johnny) Glaser, and brother-in-law Elden Larson; her five children; her stepchildren Ron Larson (deceased), Susanne Pfeifer, Beth (Joe) Greer, and their children and grandchildren; her grandchildren: Cory (Jessica), Jared (Kelli), Garren; Tara, Grant and their dad Russ; Jacob, Josh (Stacey), Jamie (Josh), and their dad James; Aliya and Amara; Courtny (Derrick), Blake, Brittany, Ashlee and their dad Bob; Elise and Jeffrey; her 9 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends Saturday, August 27, 2016 from 10:30 – 12pm with A celebration of life will be held at 12pm in the Chapel of Berry Highland Memorial, 5315 Kingston Pike. An interment service will follow in the Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery. Our beloved Mama, Mamaw, sister, aunt, and friend will be missed very much. She touched more lives than we can name. Friends may leave their condolences at www.higlandmemorialknoxville.com