JAMES N. GALL

James N. Gall, 89, of rural Reserve, KS, died Friday evening, Jan. 29, 2016, at the Hiawatha Community Hospital. He was born Nov. 24, 1926 at Falls City, the only child of  the late Newton Staley and Lottie May Winslow Gall and was a life-long area resident, living on the family farm nearly all of his life except the last year, when he moved to Vintage Park Assisted Living.

The family farm was a Century Farm, and has been in the family since 1869. His family lived south of Reserve, where James attended Linden Hill District #78 country school, located less than two miles from their home; he later graduated from Hamlin (KS) High School with the Class of 1944. He also drove a school bus many years for USD #415, of Hiawatha.

Mr. Gall was a long-time and dedicated member of First United Methodist Church of Hiawatha and Prospector’s Sunday School class; also, had served on various committees within the Church for several years. Through the years, James was very active in the community, serving on the Reserve School Board before unification; Brown County Farm Bureau Board many years; and Walnut Creek Watershed Board since 1961.

To say that James enjoyed collecting antique and restoring IHC tractors, would be an understatement! He was a director on the National and Worldwide International Harvester Collectors Board for 12 years and co-founder of  the Kansas Chapter #3. Preserving history was important to James, therefore, he enjoyed participating in Albany Days at Sabetha, and helped to organize and served on the board of directors for the Brown County Historical Society in Hiawatha

He married Gladys Faye Titus on April 30, 1944 at Melvern, KS. They raised livestock on the family farm all of their working life, farming until he reached the age of 80. She died Jan. 20, 2008. James was also preceded in death by his parents; infant daughter, Lottie Marie Gall, and a son, David Earl Gall.

Survivors include a son James Newton Gall, Jr., of Pierce City, MO; daughters: Mary Margaret Moore, of Mindenmines, MO, Betty Rose Dillon (Harold “Diesel”), of Perry, OK; daughter-in-law, Kathy Gall, of Cherokee, KS; eight grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; and numerous foster children he and Gladys raised through the years.

A celebration of James’s life is planned for 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at First United Methodist Church in Hiawatha, with Rev. Randy Quinn officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Hiawatha. Friends may call at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Hiawatha after 9 a.m. Thursday, where the family will meet from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, or Brown County Historical Society, which may be sent in care of the funeral home, 124 S. 7th St., Hiawatha, KS 66434.

A special message or remembrance may be sent to the family at
www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com