Final Salute

Jim passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at his home.

Jim was born July 27, 1935, in East Moline, the son of E. Roy and Myrtis Dykes Gallaugher.

After graduation from United Township High School in 1953, he attended the University of Illinois on a Rock Island Railroad scholarship. He graduated in 1957 with an Engineering degree. He married his high school sweetheart Joan Getty and began five years active duty in the Navy and served 20 years in the Naval Reserve. He achieved the rank of Captain in the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corp with various duties including duty in the Panama Canal Zone, Commanding Officer of the 26th Seabee Battalion headquartered in Glenview, Ill., and various Regimental duties in several states.

After Navy active duty, he was employed as a civilian by the Army at Rock Island Arsenal, serving as project engineer on the Copperhead Artillery Shell, the M203 Grenade Launcher Attachment, and as the Army’s Chief Engineer on the M16 Rifle. The last 14 years with the Army, he served as director of the Industrial Engineering Activity. He retired as a GS15

Numerous awards were received from both the Army and Navy as well as an award from the American Legion as the most decorated Air Force ROTC cadet at the University of Illinois. Schools attended included a year at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Va., and Jungle Warfare School in Panama. Jim’s duties took him to every state in the U.S. and eight foreign countries.

After retirement from the Navy and Army, he was employed for 10 years by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency as an air pollution control engineer, finally retiring in December 2000. He remained active with his 185- acre Tree Farm near Viola.

Jim was a 32nd Degree Mason, a member of the National Defense Executive Reserve, was listed in “Who’s Who in the Midwest” and “Who’s Who in Technology.” He was a past president of Delta Phi Social Fraternity at the U of IL, past president of the local chapter of the American Defense Preparedness Association, and past president of the Navy Reserve Association. He served voluntarily for several years as a consultant to the Engineering Departments of Iowa State University and St. Ambrose University.

Survivors include his wife, Joan; children, Kathryn Douglass, Jeffrey, Cynthia Ross, Joel and spouse Marta, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and sister, Patricia Place.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Reba Gallaugher and Wanda Reeves.

Memorials may be made to Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association.

Online condolences may be left for the family at vanhoe.com