Cecil Witt Galloway

September 30, 1921 – February 18, 2015

Cecil Witt Galloway was born on September 30, 1921, in Lakeview, Texas, to John Edward Galloway and Rhoda Belle Murdock Galloway. Although Cecil was insistent that his middle name was “Witt”, his hand written birth certificate has “White” instead— something that Cecil was questioned about his entire life and a common occurrence for the times. Cecil was the oldest of five children and for the majority of his life he lived in Texas where he graduated from Lytle High School in Lytle, Texas, in May, 1939. On July 31, 1940, and at the age of 18 years, Cecil enlisted in the Army of the United States.

When the United States entered World War II in 1941, the largest horse cavalry force in the nation was at Fort Bliss near El Paso, Texas. Cecil W. Galloway was serving with the 7th Cavalry Regiment at that time and had just turned 19 years old. At the onset of the war, the War Department determined that the 1st Cavalry Division, who had been in existence for the last 20 years, was obsolete and it was time to dismount the cavalry—and Cecil had to give up his trusty steed, Old Maggie. Then in 1943, the division was redeployed for overseas duty—and the era of the horse-mounted cavalry came to an end.

The 1st Cavalry was sent to the Southwest Pacific where its men—Cecil W. Galloway included—served with distinction. Cecil served five years in the U.S. Army, three of them overseas in North Africa and Italy as a sergeant major of the 91st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mecha¬nized, and was honorably discharged on July 29, 1945. Cecil’s military experience shaped the fabric of his life and was the underpinning for the special bond he had with his granddaughter Summer, his grandson Harley, and his great grandson Jesse—all who have served in the U. S. Army.

After his discharge from the U.S. Army, Cecil returned to civilian life in Memphis, Texas, where he met a farmer’s daughter, Dorothy Estelle Sweatt, fondly known by all as “Este”. The couple married on July 5, 1947, then moved to an oil boom town, Borger, Texas, and Cecil began working with Phillips Petroleum Company at the Borger/Phillips Refinery. Cecil and Este soon began their family and together they raised their five children—Brenda Joy, Charles Edward, Carolyn Sue, Betty Ann, and Judy Kaye. As the family grew year after year, the house on Harrington Road grew. Cecil remodeled and built first a new garage to replace the old one in order to have a larger family dining room. Family dining together was always with Cecil at the head of table, Betty Ann just to his right and Brenda just to his left—the family seating assignments never changed. Cecil would routinely be the recipient of an inadvertently spilled glass of water either from one side or from the other and would bellow out a loud “Gosh-eeeeeee” intending to express his indignation. But his family came to realize that Cecil’s bark was louder than his bite so giggles were stifled. As the head of the family, Cecil’s designated piece of fried chicken was predictable and firm—that is most of the time.

Over the years Cecil’s carpentry skills were honed as he built on more additions to the house—including a storm cellar which was used many times when Cecil gathered his family and scurried for shelter from an approaching Panhandle tornado or tornados. Daughter Betty Ann can recount a well-remembered time when Cecil gathered everyone to jump into the cellar only to realize after counting noses in that dark dank cellar that one nose was missing—and it wasn’t the dog’s. As it was, Cecil had delayed putting in the concrete stairs leading down into the cellar and the temporary steps had washed out. Este might have had a discussion with Cecil about this situation after the tornado scare—and Cecil built the stairs. Cecil built Este her “beauty shop” which was attached to the house and allowed Este to work but never be far from their children. When Este retired, the former “beauty shop” then became Este’s sewing and project room. Her room opened up to Cecil’s well remembered “computer center” which was in a room that was previously the second of the three garages. So it was with Cecil—always improving something.

Cecil had a quick wit and a great sense of humor. He was a prankster who enjoyed playing jokes on everyone, especially his children. Cecil, masquerading as a telephone representative called his home phone one evening while he was working a “grave yard” shift. Daughter Carolyn answered the phone and Cecil—in a very low deep voice—asked if he could blow out the line. After he blew loudly into the phone receiver he said in a very deep voice, “little girl can you hear better?” Carolyn responded, “Yes, much better”. Later that evening when Cecil asked Carolyn if the phone company had called to blow out the line, Carolyn realized who the person was that had called and the jig was up. Cecil stories and memories are numerous and very personal to those he touched—Mrs. Roseberry’s assigned fourth grade project earned Cecil an A every year, Cecil’s attempt to keep a straight face as he waited for one of his five children to confess to eating the maraschino cherries, the “unsolved” closet fire, and many more.

Cecil was proud of all his children and although it was tough for this army soldier to express his love in a touchy-feely manner, he did it throughout his life in ways that each one remembers individually. Cecil encouraged each child to go for his/her dream while allowing each one to individuate and leave the nest—on his/her own terms—and some did sooner than others. When anyone of his children got particularly down in the dumps, or grumpy beyond solace, or outright unbearable to be around—Cecil brought out the “happy pills” and doled them out with an assurance that “this lil happy pill will make it all better.”

Cecil loved cars—especially his prized Corvairs. At one point Cecil owned not one, but three Corvairs—black, white, and blue. Just prior to family vacation trips, Cecil would work on the family station wagon to ensure that it was tuned up and ready to go. Sometimes Cecil would work late into the night to finish a needed tune-up just so the family could take off early the next morning—either camping at a lake in Oklahoma or to the mountains of Colorado or New Mexico. Trips with Cecil were predictable and the one thing son Charlie knew was that his dad did not allow him—or anyone—to sit up behind him while he was driving because Cecil knew that Charlie would reliably hurl his morning breakfast down into Cecil’s collar.

Starting initially as a yard hand, Cecil per¬formed manual labor at the refinery, helping with any needed task and working shift work. He retired from the company after 37 years as an Operating Engineer. Some of Cecil’s fondest memories were “dabbling in oil” and working on the “cat crackers”, one of the most important refinery units where heavy crude oil is cracked, or frac¬tioned, into gasoline products. Cecil received numerous Safe Man Hours and Suggestion Awards. He was very proud of his service to the company and of his Phillips Petroleum memorabilia, including the Phillips jacket he wore almost every day and his hard hat which served a valu¬able purpose the day the bolt fell from above him and likely saved his life.

Equally meaningful to Cecil was being an Honorary Dallas Cowboy, recognition for Cecil’s temporary work at “Cowboy Corner” during the Phillips union strike in the late 1960s. Cecil was on first name basis with several of the players—including quarterback Craig Morton—and the Cowboys legendary coach, Tom Landry. Needless to say, Cecil was a die-hard Cowboys football fan from that time forward, rarely missing a game on TV—and always providing his personal commentary during the games for anyone in earshot to hear. When Cecil was watching football—and sometimes on two different TVs at the same time—the family knew not to walk in front of the TV or ask him anything. This was Cecil’s time to immerse himself into the game(s)—a phenomenon known today as “tail gating”.

After Cecil retired from Phillips Petroleum Company, he and Este bought a motor home and travelled the country. The couple finally had time to visit Cecil’s sister and brother-in-law, Sue and Eldon Spannagel, and see the sites in and around Seattle, Washington. In 1994 the couple took a trip to Hawaii where they toured Pearl Harbor and the sunken Battleship Arizona. At the memorial wall, Cecil methodically and stoically located the names of his fellow soldiers and friends who perished on that fateful day December 7, 1941. Over the years there were many trips with family to see different sites—and each trip has its own Cecil story—just ask any one of his children or grandchildren.

After travelling the country, Cecil and Este settled in at their home on Harrington Road in Borger, Texas, and Cecil pursued his hobbies—making bird houses, gardening, building model cars, and playing with Buford—his beloved miniature dachshund. Throughout their years in Borger, the couple loved to spend time with Cecil’s brother and sister-in-law, Chuck and Hope Galloway. The foursome often played Yahtzee, cards, and a variety of dominoes games while drinking coffee all while the wives complained about all the “table talk” by the two Galloway brothers. Such table talk led to hot coffee somehow being spilled into Cecil’s lap—so the legendary story goes. Cecil and Este lived in their home in Borger for 61 years and next to lifelong neighbors—Helen and Johnny Walker and Lois and Eugene Wallis. It just didn’t get any better than what these three couples had on Harrington Road in Borger, Texas. Often the meeting place was in the dark dank storm cellar—Cecil and his family shoulder to shoulder with the Walker and Wallis families. That’s just how it was on Harrington Road living next to Cecil W. Galloway.

In April, 2010, after the death of his beloved wife of 62 years, Cecil traded Texas Panhandle tornadoes for hurricanes and moved to Houston, where he enjoyed venturing out with his family to local eateries for shrimp dinners. He adapted well to his new hometown and even semi-converted to a Houston Texans fan. Cecil enjoyed watching his favorite TV programs as well—NASCAR, The History Channel. “Axe Men,” “Swamp People,” “Ameri¬can Pickers”, and “Pawn Stars”. Cecil was a formidable dominoes player and only occasionally let his opponents win. For his 90th birthday, he was presented an official set of “Galloway” monogrammed dominoes from his nephew Tracy Galloway. Cecil was very fond of all his nieces and nephews, but he was especially close to Tracy Galloway and Robert Galloway who visited him often and celebrated his 93rd shrimp birthday dinner with him.

Cecil resided at Cinco Ranch Alzheimer’s Center from August, 2010, until his passing on February 18, 2015 at 11:16 pm. During this chapter in his life, Cecil enjoyed his Sunday outings with his Houston area family and extended family. Sundays were fondly referred to as “Cecil Sunday” and “Granddad Day” where Cecil would settle into his recliner to eat lunch served to him on his favorite TV tray and for a day watching football or one of his favorite programs. Cecil loved shrimp—and he detested pot roast but he never confessed this to Este—and she cooked a pot roast most every Sunday. Cecil loved visiting with all his family—and had a special comradery bond with Zeb and Seth Dabbs. Zeb and Cecil talked “straight-talk” together and Cecil gave a special shout out recognition to Zeb at his 90th birthday celebration. Cecil and his 7th great grandson, Seth, would sit together in Cecil’s recliner while Seth carefully observed his Great Granddad Cecil make his well-known facial gesture—and then Seth imitated it back to him—another successful passing of the facial gesture torch between generations.

At the time of his passing, Cecil was surrounded by family and by the staff of Cinco Ranch Alzheimer’s Center and Vantage Hospice. These angels on earth had a very special bond with Cecil, prayed with him, and cared for him with love, kindness, patience, respect, and dignity during his passage home. Cecil was preceded in death by his mother and father, Rhoda Belle Murdock and John Edward Galloway, his brothers, Robert and Jerry Galloway, his sister Sue Spannagel, and his beloved wife, Dorothy Estelle Sweatt Galloway. Cecil is survived by his brother Charles “Chuck” Galloway of Amarillo, and his five children, Brenda Hanes of Amarillo, Texas, Charles Galloway of Edmond Oklahoma, Dr. Carolyn Galloway of Katy, Texas, Betty Shropshire of Giddings, Texas, and Judy Galloway of Henryetta, Oklahoma. Cecil was a loving granddad to his 11 grandchildren—Stephanie, Sharon, Summer, Jason, Russ, Jamie, Jenny, Amy, Becky, Simon, and Harley and to his 7 great grandchildren—Michael, Jesse, Lindsey, Logan, Briar, Brinley, and Seth. Granddad Cecil’s spirit and memories live on in his family, extended family and friends.

As his army buddy, William G. Shrigley, wrote in his tribute to Cecil on February 25, 1944, while stationed in Italy and titled “Galloway The Soldier”—“A resourceful man that is alert to the missions of war and quite democratic with his fellow men—‘if you like me call me Cecil’ are his words to his compatriots in the squadron. A man that wears his rank and laurels quite gracefully and with becoming modesty. In short a good Joe and a good fellow, and better yet a good soldier”.

A memorial service will be held in Memphis, Texas on March 7, 2015 at the Memphis Church of Christ. Cecil’s final resting place will be the Fairview Cemetery in Memphis, Texas with Military honors and next to his beloved wife Este.