William Franklin Galli

William Franklin Galli went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on November 30, 2020. His passing was sudden and unexpected. He will be missed by the many family members, friends and co-workers he loved.

William (Bill) was born on January 29, 1950 in Grants Pass, Oregon to Melvin Galli Sr. and Betty Butler Galli. He loved to tell stories of his childhood spent in Grants Pass with his older brother Mel, younger sister Suzanne, younger brother Matthew and the many friends he stayed in touch with for years. He loved Grants Pass and was proud of the fact that his daughter was born at the same hospital that he was and all his children attended the same schools that he had decades before.

Bill’s father was co-owner of a lumber mill in Grants Pass which provided Bill with the opportunity to work from an early age. He loved that he could work before and after school at the mill and earn enough to buy all his own school clothes and spending money. He remained a hard-worker until the day he died. That work ethic remained with him throughout his life.

Bill was very intelligent and an excellent student. He was a place kicker for the Caveman football team and spent hours each week practicing kicking the football. In high school he was invited to attend a summer math program at Phillips Academy and Dartmouth College. While there he had the opportunity to practice kicking at the Boston Patriots training facility. He remained a Patriots fan his entire life.

Upon graduation from Grants Pass High School in 1968 Bill accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and was a place kicker for the football team. He joined the pistol and rifle teams and earned a Navy Expert Medal in each category as well as a National Defense Service Medal. Sports related injuries resulted in him leaving the Academy after 2 years and he was honorably discharged in 1970.

After his discharge Bill returned to Grants Pass and went into business building swimming pools and worked hard at that for several years. In 1974 he decided to pursue an engineering degree at Oregon State University, where he met his wife, Caryn Marsh. He received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and got married in 1977. Since Caryn still had a year left before graduating, Bill stayed at OSU to get his Master’s Degree.

In 1978 Bill was hired by Shannon & Wilson in Portland as a Geotechnical Engineer.
Bill and Caryn lived and worked in Portland for 5 years until he accepted a job offer in the San Francisco Bay area to manage an engineering office for Kleinfelder & Associates. While there, in 1988, they were blessed with the birth of their first son, Nathan. Shortly after Nate’s birth Bill accepted an offer to manage an environmental engineering firm in Seattle, Washington. In 1991 they added to their family with the birth of their second son, David. While in Seattle Bill and Caryn started their own engineering company, The Galli Group.

In 1993 Bill and Caryn moved their family and their business to Grants Pass so their boys could be closer to their grandparents and experience growing up there. Their daughter, Joanna, was born in 1996. The years that followed were filled with fun and hard work as Bill poured his heart into his family, his friends and his business. His first priority was always to his Savior, Jesus Christ, followed by his family and his work. He was a wonderful husband and a great father. In 2002 he was named Father of the Year by the Grants Pass Rotary Club, in connection with the National Center of Fathering, as a result of an essay written by his son David. In 2014 Bill became a grandfather to Annabelle and in 2017 his grandson Nathan was born.

Bill loved being a father and a grandfather. While his children were growing up, he enthusiastically entered into anything they were interested in. When Nate became fascinated with the world of professional wrestling Bill built a wrestling ring, donned a costume and put on shows for friends and family as Nate’s opponent. When Dave competed in BMX racing Bill volunteered at the track and served as track director. He even started riding himself, suffering a broken collarbone and ribs in the process. When Joanna was involved in competitive gymnastics Bill was her biggest fan and supporter and donated time and money to her team. When Joanna pole vaulted in high school and college Bill rarely missed a track meet and did all he could to support the track programs. He adored his grandchildren and took great pleasure in doing whatever they wanted to do, from splashing in puddles to reading books to getting ice cream downtown.

Bill’s interests were many and varied and he made every effort to include his family in them. He loved the game of golf which he learned from his father. He was a member of the Grants Pass Golf Club and played as often as possible with his son David. One year he won both brackets at the Boatnik Golf Shootout, an accomplishment he was very proud of. He also loved target shooting and passed that love onto his kids. Bill grew up fishing with his father and he fished with his own children as often as he could until his passing.

While focusing primarily on his family Bill also worked hard to build The Galli Group. Over the years it grew to a flourishing company of over 20 employees, each of which he considered to be family. Bill considered The Galli Group to be a means by which he could share God’s love and give to as many people as possible and not just a business to make money.

At the time of his passing Bill was survived by his wife Caryn Galli, son Nathan Galli and wife Rebekah Galli and grandchildren Annabelle and Nathan, son David Galli, daughter Joanna Galli, mother-in-law Donna Marsh, brothers Mel Galli Jr. and Matthew Galli, sister Suzanne Galli Courtright as well as many nephews, nieces and cousins. He was preceded in death by parents Melvin Galli Sr. and Betty Galli.

Due to Covid restrictions, a private memorial service is planned on Saturday, December 12 at 11 am. However, the service will be livestreamed through YouTube for those who would like to watch. Go to www.since1928hull.com and William Galli’s obituary/tribute page for the link.

The word selfless could be defined as being more concerned with the needs of others and their wishes than your own. If there was a name next to that definition it would be Bill Galli. His generosity knew no bounds. He loved giving to people in need and to organizations who help the needy. If anyone wishes to do the same donations can be made in Bill’s memory to the Uganda Orphans Fund at River Valley Community Church, Joe’s Place Ministries or the Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass.