John E. Gall

WOOD RIVER - John Emil Gall, 89, of Wood River died Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, at his home in Wood River. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Wood River, with the Rev. Theresa Mason officiating. Burial will be in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the church. Apfel Funeral Home of Wood River is serving the family. Mr. Gall was born July 24, 1923, in Lesterville, S.D., to Emil Ferdinand and Johanna Elizabeth (Auch) Gall. Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Betty of Wood River; two sons and daughters-in-law, Curtis and Pat Gall of Brighton, Colo., Donald and Wanna Gall of Lincoln; four daughters and sons-in-law, Sharise (Shari) and Bill Hadenfeldt of Cairo, Vicki and Mike Taylor of Louisville, Colo., Joyce and Allan Miller of Wood River, Joanne Johnson and special friend, Todd Manning, of Aurora; 11 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, four brothers and three sisters-in-law, Richard and Arlene Gall, Aldon and Esther Gall, all of Scotland, S.D., Marvin Gall of Lake Andes, S.D., Emil and Betty Gall of Columbia, S.C.; four sisters and two brothers-in-law, Olive and Eugene Wollman of Menno S.D., Eileen and Joseph McIntyre of Las Vegas, Nev., Delores Nelson of Yankton, S.D., Marjorie Novak of Mitchell, S.D.; sisters-in-law, Emma (Bill) Bedinger, Margaret Burnison, Doris Gall and Florence Burnison, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and stepgrandchildren. He grew up in South Dakota and received his education at Lesterville High School graduating with the class of 1940. He entered the United States Navy on March 20, 1943, serving during World War II in the South Pacific and received his honorable discharge in January 1946. He furthered his education at Milwaukee School of Engineering. He was united in marriage to Betty Burnison, May 1, 1955, in Rapid City, S.D. The couple moved to Nebraska in 1961, where they made their home in Grand Island before moving to Wood River in 1966. He was a member of United Methodist Church, Wood River, American Legion and VFW. He enjoyed fishing, woodworking, country music, and especially his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Raymond and Clifford Gall, and one great-grandson, Michael John Robison. Memorials are suggested to the Wood River Rescue Unit or to the First United Methodist Church.