Gary Eugene Galloway, a former Post-Tribune columnist whose stories focused on public corruption, social injustice and the struggles of the everyman, died Thursday at his home in Charleston, South Carolina. He was 87.
A former resident of Northwest Indiana, Galloway was a reporter for the Hammond Times and later a columnist for the Gary Post-Tribune, where he won devoted followers, national journalism awards and death threats for his work.
He exposed a massive underworld car theft ring in the region and a pricey, phony janitorial deal benefitting top officials at the Lake County Government Center, but rallied most for human causes, big and small.
“In his world, every life was equally valuable,” said his widow Paula Ellis, a former Post-Tribune editor.
Galloway never shied from controversy.
“If you can judge a writer’s effectiveness by the number of death threats he receives, Gary Galloway is a very effective writer,” a former publisher wrote in an award nomination for Galloway. His columns led to indictments against a former sheriff, county assessor, two judges, two county commissioners, a county clerk and others. The Post-Tribune played on his notoriety with billboards featuring the columnist’s face and the call to “Get Galloway.”
A region lawyer, exposed for latching on to government health insurance without the necessary employment, once called a newsroom editor shouting, “Can’t you control him?”
“I said, ‘no, and I don’t want to’,” recalled James E. Procter, Galloway’s sometimes editor and longtime friend.
After attending Indiana University, Galloway worked as a sports writer for the Hammond Times and created a column called “Roses and Barbs” that “went way beyond coach speak,” Procter said. “He wrote about high school sports in a way that hadn’t been done.”
Some of Galloway’s most famous public corruption targets won clever nicknames, like “Buns,” “Vince the Wad,” “Hat Rack,” and “Hollywood Bob,” more commonly known as East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick. Galloway once described Pastrick as “the aging Palomino in the East Chicago stable.” An enraged Pastrick called the newsroom saying, “Is he sick? Is he sick?” Procter said.
Born in Battle Creek, Michigan on April 29, 1936, Galloway grew up in Manistee, where as a teen he briefly became a Merchant Marine on an ore boat, then, after graduating high school, enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a paratrooper in the 11th Airborne Division. His desire for speed and adventure led to his love of motorcycles. He was a lifetime member of ABATE.
The Chicago Headline Club gave Galloway the Peter Lisagor Award, and the Baltimore Sun recognized him with the coveted national H.L. Menken Writing Award. The National Society of Newspaper Columnists, the Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors and the Hoosier State Press Association recognized Galloway with multiple journalism awards.
Clare Boothe Luce, herself an award-winning writer, presented Galloway with the Menken honor in 1984.
In a fitting circumstance, Galloway will be interred during a private family service at the Columbarium at Mepkin Abbey, near Charleston, South Carolina, where Luce donated land and is also buried.
Galloway is survived by his widow, Paula Lynn Ellis of Charleston; son, David Sr. (Erica) Galloway; daughters, Teresa (Jeff) Kopil, Susan (Rick Holloway), Nancy (Don) Engel; 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; brother David (Marilyn) and sister Mary Catherine (Ron) Davis. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold Galloway and Ethel Larson and sister, Nancy Hedstrom.
A memorial service in Northwest Indiana will be announced later.
The family asks that charitable donations be made in Gary’s name to the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The Calumet Archives on the campus of Indiana University Northwest holds a collection of Galloway’s writing.
Lori Caldwell is a former Post-Tribune staff writer.
