Nancy Louise GALER

Nancy Louise (Wright) Galer

HILLSBORO, IL - Nancy Louise (Wright) Galer, 86, co-publisher of The Journal-News, died at 3:10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, April 22, 2015, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Ill.

Funeral services for Mrs. Galer will be held at Hillsboro United Methodist Church at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, with the Rev. Joy Caschetta officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery in Hillsboro.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, April 24, at Hillsboro United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Galer was born on April 11, 1929, in Kankakee to the late John and Louise (Cordes) Wright.

She graduated from Kempton High School in 1947 and earned her associate's degree from Blackburn College in Carlinville in 1949. Later, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, studying home economics, at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.

She married Phillip Curwood Galer on Aug. 24, 1951, at Kempton United Methodist Church in Kempton. He preceded her in death on Jan. 11, 2011.

In the 1950s, Mrs. Galer was a home economics teacher at Bellflower High School, Coffeen High School and Hillsboro Junior High School. She later worked for 30 years for the Illinois Power Company in sales and public relations.

After retiring from Illinois Power Company in 1989, Mrs. Galer joined her husband, Phillip, at The Hillsboro Journal, where they served as publishers for many years. They were also publishers of The Sorento News and The Raymond News.

The Galer couple met at Blackburn College in Carlinville, where they both served as editors of the school's newspaper at separate times.

A caring, compassionate woman, Mrs. Galer was known for her kindness in helping others when they needed it. She sent many cards and notes, and even baked pies for area residents, and helped with funeral dinners at her church.

She was also very active in her community, which she loved dearly. Mrs. Galer was an active member of Hillsboro United Methodist Church, the Christiana Tillson chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the county unit of the American Heart Association, the Montgomery County Home Extension program, Phi Upsilon Omicron, the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, the Hillsboro Women's Club and the Old Settlers Association, where she chaired the household science exhibit for many years.

In 1995, she and her husband, Phil, were named Grand Marshals of the Old Settlers parade, and in 1994, they were honored as the "Fair People of the Year" by the Montgomery County Fair Board.

In addition to her parents and her husband, Mrs. Galer was preceded in death by one brother, John Cordes Wright.

She is survived by two children, John (wife, Susie) Galer of Hillsboro and Anne (husband, Ralph) McLaughlin of Hillsboro; four grandchildren, Mary (husband, Kyle) Herschelman of Hillsboro, John (wife, Emily) Galer of Alexandria, Va., Phillip (wife, Lindsey) McLaughlin of Hillsboro and Keith McLaughlin of Hillsboro; two great-grandchildren, Grace Herschelman of Hillsboro and Isabel McLaughlin of Hillsboro, with another McLaughlin one on the way; two brothers-in-law, Gilbert (wife, Anita) Galer of The Villages, Fla., and Doug (wife, Janice) Galer of Hillsboro; and one sister-in-law, Hilde Wright of Pahrump, Nev.

Memorials may be made to: Hillsboro Public Library or Hillsboro United Methodist Church.

Bass Patton Dean Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.