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- [S106] The Mountain Press, 12 Apr 2014.
Upland Chronicles: W.A. Galyon has dedicated his life to ministry
Reverend W.A. Galyon administers a baptism in Happy Creek in 1955 while serving as pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church.
W.A. and Dorothy Galyon celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2013, a few months before Dorothy died. W.A. Galyon has been an ordained minister for almost 60 years.
Reverend W.A. Galyon began officiating weddings on Christmas Eve 1955. That day, he united his sister-in-law, Stella Hodges, with Gene Manning, in holy matrimony. Thirty years later he performed the wedding ceremony for their daughter, Peggy Manning, who married Lynn McMahan. Continuing the family tradition, W.A. recently officiated the wedding of Peggy and Lynn’s son, Mitchell McMahan, when he married Thena Smith on March 10, 2014.
Born May 17, 1924, William Antipas Galyon was the middle of nine children of Oscar and Flora Taylor Galyon. He has been known by his initials, W.A., all his life. He attended two-room Zion Hill School until his eighth year, when he transferred to Chilhowee Elementary. W.A. enrolled in Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy, but marriage and war interrupted his education.
On Feb. 6, 1943, he married Dorothy Hodges. W.A. was 18 and Dorothy was 19. Two months later, W.A. was inducted into the U.S. Army. He left Sevierville with some 250 draftees who boarded buses at the Sevier County Courthouse. He was transported to Knoxville to board a train for Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
During World War ll, W.A. served in the 436th Quartermaster Platoon as a truck driver. On Christmas Day 1943, he landed at Casablanca, Morocco, in North Africa. From there he boarded a ship for Naples, Italy, where a trucking convoy was initiated to haul supplies for Allied troops inching toward Rome.
While he was near Naples, Mt. Vesuvius erupted and damaged an entire squadron of planes. W.A. was sent on detached service to help repair the damaged aircraft. He returned home on the Monterey aircraft carrier, landing at Newport News, Va., and was discharged Dec. 12, 1945.
After the war, W.A. and Dorothy had three daughters, Gayle (Henry), Helen (Neas) and Patsy (Bradford). He served many positions in his church, from teaching Sunday school to leading the choir. He was ordained a deacon in 1949 at Zion Hill Baptist Church.
Five years later, W.A. announced his call to preach and was licensed to do so in October 1954. He was ordained July 3, 1955, and began his first pastorate at Shiloh Baptist Church. Through the years he served as pastor at the following Baptist churches: Providence in Sevier County and Providence in Blount County, Bethel in Rhea County, Richardson’s Cove, Millican Grove, Shiloh (the only church he pastored twice), Gist’s Creek, Leadville in White Pine, Roaring Fork, and Valley View, from which he retired in 1995.
He also served as director of missions for the Sevier County Association of Baptists from 1977 to 1981. W.A. was honored in 1981 to speak at the Tennessee Baptist Convention in Johnson City. Afterward, the executive secretary sent him a complimentary note describing his words as a “superb sermon.”
Determined to finish what he had started almost twenty years earlier, W.A. enrolled in Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy in 1957 and graduated in 1960, making many lasting friendships. His three daughters attended Chilhowee Elementary School while their father was attending the academy.
Weddings have been a special part of W.A.’s ministry. Sometimes circumstances surrounding the exchanging of vows have been quite memorable. For instance, while he was pastor in Blount County, a senior citizen friend came to visit and told the preacher that he was moving a friend from North Carolina and couldn’t spend the night under the same roof with her unless they were married. W.A. hastily performed the ceremony before nightfall.
During the Vietnam War, a young couple who was scheduled to be married on a particular Saturday was waiting at W.A.’s home when he returned home after preaching at a revival and paying his respects to a grieving family at Atchley Funeral Home. They explained that if they didn’t get married by midnight, the groom would surely be drafted.
However, the couple did not have a marriage license in their possession. County Court Clerk Paul Atchley was called at home and, after the situation was explained, agreed to meet them at his office at 10 p.m. so they could obtain the required license.
In the meantime, the bride had brought her bridesmaids from the nursing school at East Tennessee Baptist Hospital. The young ladies were very casually dressed, some with their hair in curlers. Once everything was in order the wedding took place before midnight.
Three days later, the happy couple again repeated their solemn vows in a pre-planned formal ceremony at Knob Creek Baptist Church. It was the only couple that W.A. “married twice in the same week.”
At another wedding W.A. officiated, the best man passed out during the ceremony.
More precious than the memorable weddings, W.A. considers the best part of his ministry to be “witnessing a soul saved, a baptism, or a convert joining the church.”
Along with the joys associated with his ministry, there have been heartaches. While serving as pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in 1957, W.A. was teaching children at vacation Bible school when one of the students, Linda Gilbert, looked at W.A., smiled, and died. She was only 15.
Throughout his ministry, Dorothy was by his side, serving in churches, where she delighted in playing the piano, teaching, and serving in mission organizations. She also taught beginning piano students at Newman’s Music Studio for over 20 years. Sadly, Dorothy died on June 1, 2013, three months after they celebrated their 70th anniversary.
Education was very important to W.A and Dorothy, and they encouraged their children in that pursuit. All three of their daughters graduated from Sevier County High School and Carson-Newman University.
Throughout almost six decades as an ordained minister, 40 years of which he served as a pastor, W.A. Galyon has experienced the triumphs and tragedies associated with the ministry. As he approaches his 90th birthday, he can look back proudly on a lifetime of selfless devotion to God, his church and his family.
Carroll McMahan is the special projects facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and serves as Sevier County historian. Contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or cmcmahan@scoc.org.
- [S4] Knoxville News-Sentinel (Tennessee), 9 Sep 2000.
Eula Mae Galyon Hatcher obituary
- [S112] Census, 1930.
Name: W A Galyean
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1930
Event Place: District 14, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
District: 0017
Gender: Male
Age: 5
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): White
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Birth Year (Estimated): 1925
Birthplace: Tennessee
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Sheet Number and Letter: 10A
Household ID: 119
Line Number: 49
Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Affiliate Publication Number: T626
Affiliate Film Number: 2271
GS Film number: 2342005
Digital Folder Number: 004547919
Image Number: 00954
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Osker E Galyean M 39 Tennessee
Wife Flora Galyean F 32 Tennessee
Son Kenneth Galyean M 14 Tennessee
Daughter Astie Galyean F 12 Tennessee
Daughter Eula Galyean F 9 Tennessee
Daughter Ruby Galyean F 7 Tennessee
Son W A Galyean M 5 Tennessee
Daughter Margie Galyean F 2 Tennessee
- [S112] Census, 1940.
Name: W A Gaylon
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Boyds Creek, Civil District 14, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 15
Marital Status: Single
Race (Original): White
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Birthplace: Tennessee
Birth Year (Estimated): 1925
Last Place of Residence: Same Place
District: 78-22
Family Number: 161
Sheet Number and Letter: 9B
Line Number: 74
Affiliate Publication Number: T627
Affiliate Film Number: 3933
Digital Folder Number: 005461375
Image Number: 00586
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Oscar Gaylon M 49 Tennessee
Wife Flora Gaylon F 42 Tennessee
Daughter Esta Gaylon F 22 Tennessee
Daughter Ruby Gaylon F 17 Tennessee
Son W A Gaylon M 15 Tennessee
Daughter Marjorie Gaylon F 12 Tennessee
Son Darel Gaylon M 6 Tennessee
Daughter Louise Gaylon F 4 Tennessee
Son Harald Gaylon M 2 Tennessee
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 15 May 2017.
May 17, 1924 - May 15, 2017
Resided in Seymour, TN
W. A. Galyon, age 92 of Seymour, passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his loving family having lived a blessed life of Christian service. Born May 17, 1924, W.A. grew up in Sevier County, attended Zion Hill School and Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy, and married Dorothy Hodges in 1943 before being drafted into World War II. He served in Italy from 1943-1945 in the 436th Quartermaster Platoon. After the war, W. A. surrendered to his lifelong calling to preach in 1955. Through the years, he served as pastor of 14 Southern Baptist churches in the area as well as Director of Missions for the Sevier County Association of Baptists. W. A. was a member of Knob Creek Baptist Church. He was known for his love of people, his concern for their souls, and his friendliness. Assisting him in ministry was his wife of 70 years, Dorothy. W. A. was predeceased by his wife, his parents, Oscar and Flora Galyon; brother Kenneth Galyon; sisters, Esta Rogers, Eula Hatcher, and Marjorie Johnson.
W.A. is survived by:
Daughters and Sons-in-law: Gayle and Bob Henry, Alpharetta, GA; Helen and Jerry Neas, Greeneville, TN; Patsy and Roy Bradford, Seymour;
Grandchildren & spouses: Staci and Eric Johnson, Clemson, SC; Brian and Jo Neas, Greeneville, TN; Kelli and Jonathan Trexler, Rehoboth, MA; Jason and Charlie Bradford, Sevierville Brent and Kalissa Neas and Todd Neas, Greeneville, TN;;
13 Great-grandchildren;
Brothers: Darrell Galyon and wife Bea of Roseville, MI, Harold Galyon and wife Joy of Smyrna, TN;
Sisters: Ruby Blalock of Seymour, Louise DeLozier and husband Rex of Sevierville;
Many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Janet Pearson and Linda Hutchins for their kind care of W.A. during the last months.
In Lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made in W.A.'s memory to the school he was so proud to be a graduate of, Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy, 202 Smothers Drive, Seymour, TN 37865.
Funeral service 2:30 PM Saturday in Atchley's Seymour Chapel with Rev's Ed King, Bill Black, Randy Leming, Cotton Kelly, Justin Randolph, and Robert Nichols officiating. Interment will follow in Boyd's Creek Cemetery with his grandsons serving as pallbearers. The family will receive friends 5-8 PM Friday at Atchley Funeral Home Seymour 122 Peacock Court, Seymour, TN 37865 (577-2807). Online condolences may be made at www.atchleyfuneralhome.com.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 12 Apr 2014.
Upland Chronicles: W.A. Galyon has dedicated his life to ministry
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