Samuel Belton Galloway Jr.

Sam Galloway passed away peacefully at the age of 77 in Palm Harbor, Florida. He and his wife, Mary, moved to Safety Harbor in 2019 to be close to their children and grandchildren, but Sam spent most of his life and career in Pensacola, Florida.

Sam was born on August 18, 1948, in Jackson, Mississippi, to Samuel Belton Galloway, Sr. and Mary Kay Galloway, joining his older sister, Patricia. Sam was baptized in the Methodist faith at Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church in Jackson, which was named for his great-grandfather, Bishop Charles Betts Galloway. His father served in the Air Force, requiring the family to move frequently. This no doubt shaped Sam, as he had to learn quickly how to adapt, make friends, and stay on top of his studies. He even attended three different second grades. He liked to tell of his time in French Morocco, when the family would have to check their shoes for scorpions!

After high school, Sam attended his first two years of college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He played baseball his freshman year at UNC, as he had a lifelong passion for the sport. He often said he would have liked to have had a career in baseball as a television or radio announcer. He also served in the Air Force Reserve. His parents had retired to Valparaiso, Florida, so Sam transferred to the University of Florida in 1968 to be closer to his family. This decision influenced the rest of Sam's life, as he became an avid fan of the Florida Gators. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1970 and his master's degree in 1972, both in finance, from UF.

He was also a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.

Sam returned to Pensacola, where he met his wife and the love of his life, Mary, in 1974. After marrying in 1976 and earning his CPA license in 1978, Sam and Mary moved to New Orleans.

While living in New Orleans, they welcomed their son, Matthew, in 1980. True to Sam's hardworking spirit, he pursued a master's degree in taxation at the University of New Orleans, which he earned in 1982. Not long after, Sam, Mary, and Matthew moved back to Pensacola. Sam and Mary welcomed their daughter, Meredith, to the family in 1983.

Around that time, Sam joined Tom Bizzell and George Neff and became a partner in an accounting practice for more than 30 years. He had a sharp mind for business and numbers, and even his colleagues at Bizzell, Neff, and Galloway trusted him with their own returns, as he was uniformly respected and admired for his abilities and honesty. One very special client was McGuire's Irish Pub, Sam's favorite restaurant. He was honored to be part of the Irish Politicians Club for many years. He was active in the community as a parishioner of First United Methodist Church and was also a long-standing member of the Rotary Club.

Sam was a kind man who was not always the most outgoing, but he was perpetually truthful, faithful, and dependable. He was a devoted family man who poured his heart and soul into his children and his marriage. Sam and Mary would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 11, 2026.

For his children, he stressed the importance of academics and encouraged them to always give their best effort in every endeavor, leaving no regrets. Matthew and Meredith followed in their father's footsteps by attending the University of Florida, a place that held a special place in Sam's heart. He was immensely proud of both of them and never missed an opportunity to tell others that Matthew is an orthopedic surgeon and Meredith a dentist. Their accomplishments brought him tremendous pride, but above all, he was proud of the people they had become.

Outside of his love for his family, his true passion was Gator athletics. He would drive five hours each way six or seven times a year to take his children to Florida Gators home football games.

Those trips meant so much more than football. He imparted wisdom on life, music, sports, business, and so much more. All of Sam's family and friends know he was never short on conversation, and he was certainly an intelligent, interesting, and humble person whom we love and miss dearly.

Sam is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Forester Galloway; his son, Matthew Galloway, and his wife, Nikki, and grandchildren, Cooper, Brody, Blake, Sloan, and Cameron; his daughter, Meredith Galloway Stauter, and her husband, Kyle, and grandchildren, Colton and Juliana; his sister, Patricia Galloway; his sisters-in-law, Kathleen Greer and Sue Forester; his brothers-in-law, Stephen Foster, Darrel Greer, Frank Dittrick, and Robert Forester; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel Belton Galloway, Sr. and Mary Kay Galloway, and his sisters-in-law, Suzanne Foster and Marguerite Dittrick.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Oakpark Health and Rehabilitation Center, who cared for Sam when his health declined.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home. A private celebration-of-life service will be held in Pensacola, Florida, in late November 2026. Please contact the family for details. Condolences may be offered at www.sylvanabbey.com.