Milton A. "Al" Galbraith Jr.

Milton Alvin Galbraith Jr., known to all who loved him as Al, died peacefully in his home on Tuesday, May 31st. He had his beautiful wife, Conni, his four adoring children, Allison, Laurel, Megan and Colin, and Daughter in Law, Sarah, at his bedside. His best friends, cousin and three of his four grandchildren, Quentin, Emmet and Elliot, were in the next room. It was a beautiful, Florida day full of sunshine and warm breezes. The serenity of the sounds and smells of home ushered him into his next life, in a poetic manner that he very likely would have written for himself if he were able to compose the final chapter of his life.

Al’s journey ended swiftly after a nearly 20 month battle with Lymphoma. For those who have been tracking his progress on the website he diligently maintained (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/al_galbraith/), they are probably all too familiar with the ups and downs of how that battle was fought. Through his journal entries, Al left a legacy of support and encouragement with his words, and showed an inspiring sense of peace with God’s Will that he passed along to his readers, many of whom were or are battling cancers of their own.

The life journey of Al Galbraith, however, is not defined by the disease that eventually overtook his body, as was apparent by the sheer determination and vitality that he exhibited along the way and until the very end.

A resident of Clearwater, Florida for most of his teenage and adult life, Al was a passionate citizen who loved the Bay area and served the community through his employment as City Attorney by both the City of St. Petersburg (2000-2011) and the City of Clearwater (1985 through the late 1990’s). He was a former chairman of the Clearwater Bar Association's Governmental and Administrative Law Committee. He also served as the board attorney for the City of Oldsmar’s Code Enforcement Board and as special counsel for the City of Tarpon Springs with code enforcement board cases.

Al was notably an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Clearwater, where he could often be found teaching Sunday School classes, acting in theater productions, attending musical concerts or just enjoying the beauty that is the Word of God during a typical Sunday morning service.

He was also an avid fan of baseball, in particular of the Tampa Rays (who’s establishment caused him to abandon loyalties to the Philadelphia Phillies whom he’d watched during Spring Training in Clearwater since the 50’s). He half-heartedly humored his childrens’ love of the Boston Red Sox only if they were not playing the Rays.

Al actively participated in the Clan Galbraith Association, working as Secretary for the organization that helped him reconnect with his Scottish roots. Inspired, he took his wife, daughter and Mother in Law on a trip to Scotland a few years ago and was able to see the original castle that the Galbraith clan owned and lived in centuries ago. He enjoyed attending the yearly Clan meetings, including last year’s in Victoria, B.C., which conveniently enabled him to see his daughter in Seattle, WA, and spend time his fourth grandchild, Hazel. He also attended the Dunedin Highland Games regularly, dressed in full regalia with his Galbraith tartan kilt.

Al was born in Corbin, Kentucky, on May 22, 1944. The only child of Milton Alvin Galbraith and Mary Elizabeth (Casey) Galbraith, Al and his parents moved to Tarpon Springs, Florida, in 1951. His family relocated to Clearwater four years later, where Al attended North Ward elementary school and Clearwater Jr. High School. Al was your typical boy for that era, one who collected stamps and coins and loved to watch western movies. He was a Boy Scout and a trumpet player in the school band.

He graduated from Clearwater High School in 1961 and attended Florida State University. There he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and Army ROTC. In 1966 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in government and English and a minor in Military Science. After college, Al enlisted in the U. S. Army and was stationed in West Germany. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps. He was the personnel officer and adjutant for the Advanced Weapons Support Command.

After returning from active duty, Al received his Juris Doctor and went to work in Tallahassee as a legislative intern for the Florida legislature under Rep. Bob Graham. He also worked as a legislative analyst and staff attorney with the Florida Senate Education Committee.

It was during this time that he met his wife, and together they had their twins, Allison Heather and Laurel Casey in 1975.

A short time later, he accepted a position as City Attorney for Boca Raton, where they moved and had their other children, Megan Lee (1979) and Colin Trevor (1980). In 1985, they moved their family back to Clearwater, where Al started his work as the City Attorney. It was here that they raised their family, often taking his children to the Safety Harbor pier on bike rides or crabbing. He enthusiastically participated in their sports, schooling and youth group activities at the First United Methodist Church. And he never missed an opportunity to share stories, wisdom or other musings from his life.

Clearwater also provided the opportunity for his children to grow close to Al’s own parents. His father, best known as Gallie, was a beloved principal for Dunedin Middle School. Gallie’s legacy often chased his grandchildren throughout their own lives, as it was not uncommon that one of their school teachers had been taught by and inspired by him.

In his spare time, Al enjoyed reading, playing chess, and tinkering with electronics. An avid photographer, he was often found behind the lens of a camera. Conni and Al frequently went out to dinner and movies with their friends. They played bridge together and enjoyed travelling to visit their grandchildren located around the country.

Al was a gifted and prolific writer as evidenced by the many posts on his blogs, Facebook page, and the Caring Bridge website. He occasionally wrote letters to the local newspaper editors whenever a particular issue or debate caught his attention. He also enjoyed cruising down the road in his silver Corvette, especially on days when he could drive with the car’s top down.

In September of 2009, Al was diagnosed with B1 cell lymphoma. He courageously endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy. His strong hope and faith were apparent to all who met him, and gave strength to people who were struggling around him. On Sunday, May 29th, Al discontinued radiation treatments and went home from the hospital in order to be closer to his family. Hospice staff kept him comfortable around the clock until his death on Tuesday, May 31st. In his final moments he was surrounded by his loving family.

Al will forever be remembered by his family as a devoted husband and loving father. His legacy lives on in the memories of those who knew him, and the grandchildren who called him “Poppi”.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 4th, at 11:00am at the First United Methodist Church (411 Turner St., Clearwater, FL). The family is requesting memorial gifts be sent to the Guardian Ad Litem Foundation, 14250 49th St. North, Suite 4000, Clearwater, FL, 33762, or the First United Methodist Church of Clearwater, 411 Turner St., Clearwater, FL, 33756.

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