Mary Louise (Shields) Galloway

   Mary Louise Galloway, 97, formerly of Sioux City, IA, departed her earthly life to be with the Lord on May 27, 2021, in Newton, IA. Mary, the daughter of Charles and Vera (Bass) Shields, was born on a farm north of Red Oak, IA on March 14, 1924, the year her father built the brick house on the home place. She was the middle of 5 children. Mary went one year to a junior college and then was asked to teach in a one room country school, grades K-8, 2½ miles from home, which she did for one year.  She then went to Tarkio College in Tarkio, MO and graduated in 1947. Since her faith in the Lord came first in her life, she felt anyone would teach in the US, but not everyone would be willing to go teach in a mission school overseas. She applied to the Presbyterian Mission Board and was given a three-year contract to teach in a girls’ school in Khartoum North, Sudan, Africa.

   After her first year she met Willard Galloway, who had come for three years to teach in a boys’ school across the Nile River in Omdurman. Willard and Mary were blessed with two children: a daughter, Grace, and a son, Stan. In 1967, they returned to the US where Willard became pastor of Westlawn Presbyterian Church in Sioux City, IA until 1980. Believing the Lord was calling them to mission work here in the US, Mary and Willard became managers of Capitol Court in Omaha, a former motel that housed many international students who were attending the University of Nebraska in Omaha. As managers, they had many opportunities to share the Gospel with these students. In 1990, they retired and settled in Sioux City, which had a special education program for their daughter, Grace.

   Mary taught ESL at Western Iowa Tech for many years and also drove for the Senior Center into her nineties—with no accidents. She loved to cook and sew and did gardening until she was physically unable.  She loved sports and followed her favorite quarterback, Peyton Manning, while he was playing for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. She was also a big fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball teams. Mary loved watching and following the best players in tennis, such as Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams.

   Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her brother and two sisters; and a great-grandson.  She is survived by her daughter, Grace; son, Stan (Crystal); 4 grandchildren: Kyle (Sarah), Melissa, Ryan (Anu), and Rachel (Joe); 9 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Laura Oldberg. 

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