Ernest L. Galloway

He was born on December 9, 1927 in Kannapolis North Carolina to Charles Benson and Ella Beatrice Davis Galloway .

Ernest was drafted into the Army Air Corps in April of 1946 at the age of 19. It was the end of the war and most troops were rotating back to the states and more were needed for replacements. His group were sent to Okinawa by ship zigzagging across the Pacific dodging floating mines and a typhoon. It took 13 days having to stop a few times so a sharpshooter with a high powered rifle could explode the mines. At Naha, Okinawa he was taught Morse Code and could still do Morse Code up until he was 93. He was discharged from the Air Corps in 1947 and enlisted in the Air Force in 1948.

He met the love of his life Geneva Bonnie Vaughn while home visiting family and they were married on June 4, 1950. He and “Jenny” were blessed with four children, Barbara Ann born in New Jersey, Sherri Lynn born at Eglin AFB, Florida, Russell Timothy born in South Carolina and Rene Elizabeth born in Karamürsel, Turkey.

Ernest went on to spend 28 years in the Air Force with stations in the U.S. as well as Japan numerous times, Labrador, Korea, Turkey, Germany, Italy and England. After his retirement from the Air Force in 1975, Ernest went on to become a locksmith in San Antonio and later in Longview, Texas. After retiring for a second time, he and Jenny spent many wonderful years traveling the country in their motorhome. They lived several years in Jacksonville, Texas before moving to their final home in Big Lake.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years Geneva (Jenny) Galloway, parents Charles and Ella Galloway, sisters Eula Mae Jenkins, Evelyn Sullivan, Annie McCroskey, brothers Leonard Galloway, Homer Galloway, and Charles Galloway Jr.

Ernest is survived by his daughters Barbara Berry (John), Sherri Gay (Johnnie), son Russell Galloway (Lisa), daughter Rene Gaytan (Hector), grandchildren Jay David Holt (Sheila), John Gay (Kate), Allison Sonnenberg (Matt), Alicia Herndon (Jeremy), Aaron Galloway, Jason Saunders, Mason Gaytan and Ashleigh Gaytan, great grandchildren Jayden and Conner Holt, Elliot and Daniel Gay, Zoey and Grayson Sonnenberg, and Hayley and Luke Herndon, one sister Iva Nell Reid (Jim) sister in law Carolyn Hays, brother in law Hugh Vaughan (Fiona) and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at First Baptist Church on Saturday January 8, 2022 at 1 o’clock in the afternoon followed by a military burial at 3:30 in Lawnhaven Cemetery in San Angelo Texas. Pallbearers are Jay David Holt, John Gay, Aaron Galloway, Jason Saunders, Mason Gaytan and Conner Holt.

There will be a visitation at the home of Sherri Gay (603 E 8th Street Big Lake) on Friday January 7th from 4pm until 7pm. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Reagan County Care Center in Big Lake or Hospice of San Angelo. Family and friends may sign an online guestbook at www.johnsons-funeralhome.com