Obituary published on Legacy.com by Bullock Funeral Home & Crematorium on Oct. 18, 2025.
Sumter, SC On October 14th, 2025, the Lord needed another Angel. He looked upon the Earth and chose Elizabeth K. Gallegos affectionally known as Ms.Betty to join Him in His Kingdom. She passed away peacefully with her son Douglas by her side.
Betty was preceded in death by her late husband Savas Crispen Gallegos and brother John (Jr.) McGillan.
Surviving her are a brother Brian McGillan and son Douglas, 4 grandsons, Christopher, Brandon, Shane and Zachary Gallegos, and their families including 7 grandchildren. In Scotland, she is survived by her 5 Nieces, Janet McGillan Leggat, Brenda Boyle-McGillan, Liz McGillan Leggat, Carol Khawaja, Leah McGillan McGrath and their families.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1923, Betty was very good throughout school excelling in Math and Homemaking (designing clothes). After school she went to work at the Singer factory operating a loom used to make rugs and carpets. She worked 12hr shifts but when Saturday night came around the girls still had enough energy to dance all night long. She was enlisted into the British Land Army and went to work manufacturing the firing pins for the British Steen Gun. She had to take medical leave from the factory and went to work on a farm with a family that needed help and stayed there for 2 years. After recovering she went back to the factory where she machined the pistons for The Merlin engines that were put into the British Spitfire until the end of the War. After the War, Betty immigrated to the States where she met her future husband Cris Gallegos who was stationed at an Air Force base in New Jersey. They got married and she became a Military housewife and stay at home Mom. She became involved in many different things like her Bowling on Tuesday morning with the British Wives Club, the Amigos Club. She also learned to knit, make dresses and learned how to make pottery on base. Volunteer work always came easy for her, helping at the Shepard's Center or the polling station in Cherryvale. She loved to travel no matter where and loved to go see her Gamecocks play football, even going to some Bowl games. She loved each and every friend or family member the same and never met a stranger!
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 22nd, 2025, at 12:00pm at Bullock Funeral Home and will be live streamed. Afterwards the family will receive guests at the home of her son.
You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family's guest book.
The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home of Sumter for the arrangements.
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