Dr. Charles Galloway was the world’s most interesting man. From humble beginnings, driven by his academic curiosity and unquenchable pursuit of excellence, he rose to international academic fame for his groundbreaking work in non-verbal communication. He was the trusted, subject-matter expert on that which is left unsaid.
Dr. Galloway combined his love of the performing arts with his passion for education. He uncovered that, while those in performing arts were well aware and practiced how their body language and intonations communicate, educators at that time were not attending to this aspect of their practice. He characterized his non-verbal communication research as exploring ”understanding how we are understood and how we influence others without words". In The Ohio State University class he created, The Theories and Practices of Non-Verbal Communication, he taught over 8,000 students.
Outside of academic circles, his love and attention to the fine details that define one’s life continued. He possessed a superhero ability to lift everyone he encountered to a higher level, he moved through the world with an authentic fascination, a keen sense of humor, and a strong empathy, guided by a wicked, sharp intellect. He was calm and steady as he moved through a room with never a jerky or rushed movement. When he sat in a chair he folded his tall frame to fit, one leg over the other, back curved. His voice was soft. He listened. He remained calm. If asked, he could discuss the most potent soil mineral composition to support the expression of a rose’s true shade of red or the starting five’s strengths from any one of the Ohio State Buckeye’s 11 NCAA Final Four appearances.
He lived his life by the code “No Stress, No Strain”. As such, there was an ease with which he embraced adversity as well as a passion for enjoying life. As a constant reader, crossword, chess, and sudoku master, his mind was never idle. His thumb was a deeper shade of green than most horticulturists. At 6’5”, his “Sky Hook” shot, which predated Kareem’s, was money in the bank from anywhere in the paint. On the golf course, his touch inside 100 yards was a marvel and the topic of great discussion at the 19th holes across many states. He loved classical music, fine wine, and the company of good friends. In retirement, a cold, tall pint shared with neighbors at a local pub was always a good way to pass an afternoon.
Despite his tremendous success, it was the accomplishments of his three children Larry, Tammy, and Stacy that he wished to celebrate. His love for his wife, Barbara, out shown the North Star. He had an unforgettable smile, an infectious laugh, and could tell stories like no other. He was an optimist, anchored in reality. Approaching his 90th birthday, when asked how he would describe aging, he stated “it is not as bad as you think, but never as good as you hope.” His time has come. He lived life hard, leaving no stone unturned. No regrets. No Stress. No Strain.
On reflection of his tremendous influence on the world, a quote taken from a paper he wrote in 1976 reveals his wisdom, especially when seen through the lens of 2020. “With the absence of information, human beings fear the worst. They assign to the behaviors of others the meanings that characterize their worst fears. Failing to know how one stands and what perceptions are held by others, a person projects anxious uncertainly, which extends to the expressive behaviors of others. All of us need to send complete messages that combine to create congruency. When discrepancy or inconsistency exists between what is said and what is expressed, we become confused. We would like to believe the verbal but suffer difficulty when the nonverbal reveals something else. If we see and hear more sensitively, then a richer and more available source of data exists for creating understanding.”
A final lesson, from a brilliant professor.
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