James X. Gallas

James X. Gallas, 88, of Bayard, passed on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Chimney Rock Villa in Bayard. A funeral will be held at 1 PM on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Reading, Pennsylvania with Father Tom Pappalas officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at the Charles Evans Cemetery in Reading. Memorials may be given to the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Bayard. Online condolences may be left by visiting James Tribute Page at www.dugankramer.com Services entrusted to the care of Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff and Theo C. Auman, Inc. in Reading.

James was born October 28, 1929 at Reading, Pennsylvania to Xenephon and Athanasia (Daledakes) Gallas. He received his education in Reading, graduating from Mount Penn High School. He attended Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts for two years. He entered the United States Army on October 14, 1952 and served until his honorable discharge on September 17, 1954.

James was united in marriage to Barbara Beaver in 1955 in Reading. James came from a family of stone crafters, a tradition he was proud and honored to carry on in the Reading area.

James and the family resided to the Annapolis, Maryland area before moving to Denton, Maryland where they owned and operated “Jimmy The Greek’s” Restaurant for several years. Upon his retirement, he returned to the stone masonery profession in the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware areas.

Barbara passed in 2007 and James and his daughter Elaine moved to Western Nebraska in November of 2015 to be near daughter Bebe and her husband John.

James was a member of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Bayard. His passion was reading books about non-fiction history and dogs.

James is survived by his son James X. Gallas, Jr. (Heather Vaughn) of Sterling, VA; daughters Elaine Gallas (Scott Bewley) and Bebe Shortall all of Bayard; grandsons Zachary Gallas of Sterling, VA and Grant Gallas of Herndon, VA; step-grandsons Retired Chief Warrant Officer John E. Shortall Jr. and Retired Chief Navy Diver Chad Shortall; beloved Dachshund Nellie Mae; good friends Roy Rigby and Rusty Greene; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

James was preceded in death by his parents, wife, son-in-law John Shortall, Sr, brothers Steve X., Louis X., and Father George X. Gallas.