Meet
William Decatur Galloway (1928-2024)

William Decatur Galloway (1928-2024), Bill was born on August 5, 1928 to Edna Lena Galloway and William Decatur Galloway, Sr. Bill attended Rutherford High School, graduating in 1946. Before college, he served in the United States Army (1946-1948) in the 761st Tank Battalion, also known as the Black Panthers. This Battalion consisted of African American Soldiers who were not allowed to serve in the same unit as white troops. Many decades later this unit received a Presidential Unit Citation for its many heroic actions. Bill attained the rank of Private and after his honorable military service, Billy attended Syracuse University and Brooklyn School of Pharmacy on the G.I. Bill. He earned a BA in Psychology, a BS and an MS in Pharmacology and an MBA in Marketing. His professional career spanned more than six decades and included working as a pharmacist and in pharmaceutical sales, where he was a director of medical education for Hoffmann LaRoche.

Community service was a passion for Bill and he was involved in many local organizations including the Board of Adjustments in Rutherford, the Education Policy Commission for the Board of Trustees of Fairleigh Dickinson University, The Murray-Hodge American Legion Post 453, Rutherford High School Hall of Fame (Vice President), The Lions Club of Rutherford, Historical Preservation Commission, where he served as its President, and later a member of the Rutherford Historic Preservation Committee. Bill also served for more than 10 years on the Rutherford Board of Education and in that time, he helped to improve the quality of the local schools and the education of thousands of students during his tenure.

Bill, a very proud Rutherfordian, passed away on June 15, 2024.