Jack Gallon

1931 - 2013

BORN

1931

DIED

2013

Jack Gallon Obituary

(NEWS ARTICLE) Jack Gallon, who spent his 55-year legal career representing labor and volunteering for the Farm Labor Organizing Committee in its fight for recognition and its first labor contract, died Saturday at Aspen Grove Assisted Living in Lambertville.

Mr. Gallon, 82, who suffered from dementia, died from internal bleeding found earlier that day, said his wife, Kathryn.

In addition to representing labor unions, Mr. Gallon was a longtime volunteer and activist with Metroparks of the Toledo Area.

He served on its board for 20 years, and was chairman from 2003 to 2009.

He was a devoted follower of his Jewish faith and an advocate for the state of Israel.

Mr. Gallon was born on Feb. 23, 1931, in Toledo to Joe and Sade Gallon.

He made more than 20 trips to Israel, his wife said, the first occurring in 1961 as a member of the U.S. wrestling team for the Maccabiah Games, in which he won a gold medal.

Mr. Gallon began wrestling while at DeVilbiss High School in 1948, going undefeated for three years.

He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1953 and he received his law degree there in 1955. He was a sophomore at UM when he lost his first career match. That loss occurred during a conference championship in 1951.

Six years after leaving college and starting his law career, Mr. Gallon made a wrestling comeback, participating in the National Amateur Athletic Unions tournament to qualify for the Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Years later, he pointed to the correlation between wrestling and his legal occupation, noting, "in law and in wrestling, you are required to stand alone and face the opposition. I go into a case the same way I go into a wrestling match, ready for an intense competition."

His tenacity in the legal arena led Toledo's Farm Labor Organizing Committee to achieve a historic contract with area tomato growers and Campbell Soup Co. in 1986, ending a more than seven-year-long boycott.

"If it hadn't been for a guy like Jack Gallon, [FLOC] would not have had the success that we've had," said Baldemar Velasquez, who founded the farm union in 1967. "Jack would be one of those monumental ... historic figures."

A year after its founding, Mr. Gallon had called Mr. Velasquez "out of the blue" at Mr. Velasquez's storefront office in Ottawa, Ohio, offering his services.

"He called me up and says, 'I heard about your fight to organize farm workers and I want to help you'," Mr. Velasquez recalled.

Mr. Velasquez agreed, and told others about the offer. When Mr. Gallon arrived at the union office, more than 100 people showed up to listen to "a lawyer from Toledo" who wanted to assist the cause, he said.

Mr. Gallon and another lawyer met weekly with the upstart union in Ottawa to develop organizing strategies, particularly in devising ways to gain access to labor camps.

Mr. Gallon advised FLOC to create an incident at a camp that would led to arrests. The lawyer wanted to create a test case that would give union organizers access to the camps and its workers, Mr. Velasquez said.

No arrests occurred, however, after the sheriff learned that a Toledo attorney was in the midst of the farm workers. But the camp owner, upset over the lack of arrests, tried to run over Mr. Velasquez with his truck, Mr. Valasquez said.

Assault charges were filed against the farmer. Mr. Gallon used the arrest as leverage, getting the farmer to open his labor camps to FLOC organizers in exchange for dropping the assault charges, Mr. Velasquez said. "He had enormous talent to go into critical situations."

The end result was Mr. Gallon eventually forging the three-way agreement with FLOC, tomato growers, and Campbell's. That deal was a template for other contracts with farmers and food processors in North Carolina, another watershed event in farm-labor organizing.

"Jack was with us for all the milestones with FLOC," Mr. Velasquez said.

"He helped FLOC navigate everything we should do and shouldn't do" as a union, he said.

Mr. Gallon jumped into labor law issues after graduating from UM. He returned to Toledo and opened his first office in the Teamsters Local 20 union hall.

Bill Lichtenwald, current president of Local 20, said that was the first time in the country a union had an attorney on its staff.

"He sympathized with the labor movement," Mr. Lichtenwald said. "He truly believed in the labor movement."

In 2005, Mr. Gallon was awarded the Toledo Bar Association's and the area Legal Aid Society's Access to Justice Award for his work on behalf of agriculture workers.

He was the legal adviser to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Mr. Gallon is credited with forming the first prepaid legal services for union members in the 1950s, arrangements that now are considered commonplace, Mr. Lichtenwald said.

Bill Takacs, his law partner since 1978, said Mr. Gallon's work for the Teamsters union evolved into offering legal advice for its members.

"He was such a good advocate for the union that not only did other unions seek him out to represent them, but so did the rank and file members," Mr. Takacs said.

In 1991, his firm, Gallon, Kalniz & Iorio, one of the most prestigious labor law firms in the area, split, with Mr. Gallon taking control. Partners Burton Kalniz and Ted Iorio, who were with the firm since its founding in 1975, started their own firm.

Mr. Gallon regrouped and formed Gallon, Takacs, Boissoneault & Schaffer Co. Mr. Gallon retired from practice in 2010 after dementia set in, his wife said.

"He was not able to continue working, otherwise he never intended to retire," she said.

The couple, who married in 2002, met the year before while in Egypt. The two kept in touch after the trip but "we found it was too hard to be apart." Mrs. Gallon said she quit her nurse practitioner's job in California to move to Toledo.

Mr. Gallon's marriage to his first wife, Myrle, ended in divorce in 1972, his wife, Kathryn, said.

Mr. Gallon was a dedicated environmentalist, serving on the Metroparks board for two decades.

Mr. Gallon traced love of nature to becoming a Boy Scout, where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout. In 1947, as a 16-year-old, he and three other Ohio boys traveled to France for the sixth annual World Scout Jamboree. He paid for the trip by collecting newspapers and doing odd jobs.

He wrote about his adventure to war-scarred Europe in a dispatch published in the Toledo Times.

Seven years later, as a University of Michigan senior, he traveled back to Europe. He and his wife, Myrle, visited Toledo, Spain, and presented a key from the Ohio Toledo to the Spanish mayor.

Mr. Gallon was outspoken on causes involving his Jewish faith and Israel.

He was a frequent contributor to letters to the editor of The Blade, in which he decried hartred, racism, and intolerence. He spoke on panels that examined problems in the Mideast and defended aid to Israel at a time when loan guarantees were under attack.

He was involved in the Jewish Community Center in Sylvania and was on the federation board and community relations panel.

"He was very proud of his Jewish heritage," his wife said.

From the book of Deuteronomy, he lived by the precept "Justice, justice shall you pursue," his wife said. "He took that very seriously."

Mr. Gallon is survived by his wife, Kathryn; daughters, Laurie Lindrup, Julie Gallon, and Robbin Gallon; sons, John and Matthew Gallon; four grandchildren, and a brother, Mark.

Services will be held at noon Tuesday at Congregation B'nai Israel in Sylvania.

Memorials are suggested to Congregation Etz Chayim, Toledo Area Metroparks, or the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Contact Jim Sielicki at: [email protected] or 419-724-6050.

Published by The Blade on Mar. 11, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Jack Gallon

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28 Entries

Jack was a wonderful member of the Board of Directors of Farmworker Justice in Washington, D.C., serving migrant farmworkers. He was a smart, creative attorney and an expert in nonprofit management and great to work with.

Bruce Goldstein

July 15, 2013

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

John Lowder

April 20, 2013

May Jack rest in peace and forever be walking in the woods or driving his jeep around his property. The Dean family sends there sympathy to the family, may all your memory's bring a smile to your face.

March 17, 2013

Jack was an outstanding leader of the parks, recreation and environmental conservation movement. He was also a treasured mentor and friend...and his legacy will live on forever.

Mark Young

March 13, 2013

I am so sorry to hear about jack. Iwas one of the aides that took care of him...

julie p

March 12, 2013

Our sincere sympathy on the loss of Jack Gallon who was such a valuable member of the Toledo community. Sincerely,
Barbara and Bernard Judis, Las Vegas, NV

March 12, 2013

My sympathy to all of the Gallon family at home and at work. He was a good friend and someone who I could talk to at a level that I could not with many people. Rest in Peace, Jack

Steve Habusta

March 12, 2013

Kathryn,

We are so very sorry for your loss and send our condolences to all of you. May you be comforted by sweet memories of your life with Jack.

Allie and Dan Berns

March 12, 2013

Dear Edie,Robin and Matthew, I am so sorry for your loss,I know that heaven has gained an angel. Mr. Gallon was always good to my Mom, you are in our thoughts and prayers. Linda and Alan Eyre

Linda Eyre

March 12, 2013

Mr. Gallon was a man who fought for working individuals. Jack worked with my father Steve Woda in the sixties and seventies when they were at the Teamsters. My father had the upmost respect for Jack.
The Woda family extends their sympathy to the Gallon family. Signed Steve and Michael Woda, Pat Parker, Marge McCoy.

Michael Woda

March 12, 2013

Jack was a giant in both the legal community and the community in which he lived. He made a real difference in the lives of so many, especially the migrant farm workers and their families in NW Ohio. They are being treated more fairly today because of his legal efforts. May his family find comfort during this difficult time of loss.

R. Gregory Stein

March 12, 2013

We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the family of a great union attorney who helped so many union members and for his contributions which helped to make Toledo a great city to live and work in. All of organized labor knew Jack, respected him and he will certainly be missed.

Jack & Carol Sizemore

March 11, 2013

My condolences to the family of a man who gave real meaning to the concepts of passion and service. I worked for Jack and had the opportunity to share stories about wrestling, the days he started his practice and his passion for causes. He made a lasting impression that I and many others will always carry with us. Keeping the Gallon family in my prayers.

David Ibarra

March 11, 2013

Dear Edie & Robin...You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

Rachelle Douglas-Borell

March 11, 2013

Jack will be missed by many of the lives that he has touch and helped through the years.The Gallon family will be in our prayers. So sorry for your loss.

Paul and Linda Toney

March 11, 2013

I wanted to say how sorry to hear about mr. Gallon, he was my father lawyer and dad always talked how great mr. gallon was he will be miss.

March 11, 2013

I echo the phrase "Jack was a Gentleman". He always had a way of making people feel comfortable (he certainly did my family and I). He was generous and contributed much to our community. He will be remembered. My sympathy goes out to his wife Kathryn and family.

Janice Pitzen

March 11, 2013

Dan and I send our condolences to Jack's family. Jack will always hold a place in our heart -- for so many wonderful reasons! God Bless

Debbie and Dan Farbrother

March 11, 2013

Kathryn and Gallon family- On behalf of E.S.Gallon and Assoc. (Jack's sister firm in Dayton founded by his brother Chuck)we extend our deepest sympathy. We have fond memories of Jack, an icon in the field of Workers' Compensation and a staunch supporter of labor. He will be missed, but never forgotten- Joe Ebenger of ESG & Assoc.

March 11, 2013

Jack was such a wonderful person and tremendous supporter of parks, recreation, trails and the environment. He worked so hard for over 20 years with the Toledo Metroparks and later with the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association. He created and funded a special training program for his fellow citizen board members. His legacy will live on! My heart goes out to Kathryn and his family at this sad time. I'm sure he is happy walking trails in heaven!

Michelle Park

March 11, 2013

We wish to express our sympathy to Jack's family and associates.
I am honored to be able to call Jack my friend and indeed a "friend" he was.
Robie and Donna

Robie Robaszkiewicz

March 11, 2013

Our sympathy and warmest thoughts are with you now.

Ohio Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

March 11, 2013

A gentleman's gentleman. It was a real honor to have known him and worked with him at FLOC.

Jerome Ceille

March 11, 2013

I regret theat I will not be in town to attend the services honoring Jack's life. As a management labor lawyer who was a regular opponent of Jack's, I always repected him and the energy that he expended on behalf of his clients.To his family, I extend my sincere sympathy on his loss and know that you will be sustained by the memories of his life well lived.

Donald "Buzz" Mewhort

March 11, 2013

I worked as a bookeeper for Mr. Gallon back in the late 1960's and I never forgot his kindness. He was a wonderful man and will be missed.

Kathy Rae

March 11, 2013

Sympathies to the family of a great person w a very accomplished career.

Ryan Reiter

March 11, 2013

Our condolences to the entire Gallon family. We have known Jack for many years and he truly was a giant among men. His passion and conviction were traits to be emulated. May G-d give the family strength during this time of sorrow. Brent and Ricki Rubin and Family

Brent Rubin

March 11, 2013

John,
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Tex

March 11, 2013

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