John Galie            by Talon Lauriello

John Galie was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 1955.  At the age of 5, he and his family moved to Heritage Village in Marlton New Jersey which is where he grew up. He attended Saint Joan of Arc elementary school and he was in the first graduating class. He then went to Holy Cross in Delran for high school and John told me that it was painful. There was a far distance between his house and the high school with only one bus traveling between the two once a day. Because of this, he didn’t participate in many after-school activities. He did however find some solace with the photography club since we could complete his assignments in and around his home.

              John quickly realized that he wanted to become a mechanic so during high school he worked at small local repair shops specializing in lawn mower repairs. He learned a lot there and worked hard. His father’s philosophy was that if you want something you have to earn it and John took that to heart. He even worked as a janitor at his old elementary school for some extra money in order to buy his own tools.

              After graduating high school his father wanted him to go to college, so John chose to attend Drexel University in Philadelphia to become a Mechanical Engineer. His career path would forever change after his co-op program year with the National Weather Service in Washington DC. There he was exposed to a computer for the first time and it blew his mind. Right then and there he decided to change his major to Electrical Engineering and continued at Drexel for two more years.

              During his 3^rd year at Drexel he met a girl while on his Co-Op assignment in Washington, D.C. named Patricia, who was a senior at Penn State. They were married during his junior year and moved to Flint Michigan, where Pat took a job with A.C. Spark Plug. This move required changing schools so John transferred to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He had to drive 50 miles to and from school which left no time for extracurriculars. The tedium of traffic and the annoyance of never attending a football game at this school was all worth it though when John graduated Magna Cum Laude and got a great job at IBM.

              His job involved developing semiconductors and processing technologies in East Fishkill, New York. In 1986 IBM reorganized and asked employees to volunteer to switch into different branches of the company. John volunteered to switch from the manufacturing side to the technical sales force.   Over the years, John’s various account responsibilities included State and Local Governments, Casinos in Atlantic City, and finally the U. S. Army.

              This sales position took John and his family to Cherry Hill, New Jersey which is where he currently resides.  He and his wife have been married for 45 years and they have four children that all became engineers. John has been involved with several volunteer opportunities such as being a Cub Scout leader for his son, Little League Coach, as well as being a Big Brother.   John served on the Cherry Hill Board of Education for 12 years which enabled him to present all four of his children with their high school diplomas. Now his children are grown, and he enjoys spending time with his eight grandchildren.  John retired from IBM in 2008 after 30 years of service.

Johns interest in history started at an early age, when one cold November morning, his father woke him and his brother at four AM and said “get up, you two are coming with me”.  His father had business that day in Washington, DC and afterwards took the boys to Arlington National Cemetery.  It was Tuesday November 26^th, 1963, the day after JFK was buried. His parents both served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War 2. His father was a radio intercept operator-(German)-stationed in Europe and his mother was a high-speed radio operator in the Women’s Axillary Corp (WAC), stationed at Vint Hill Farms, Va. What really ignited his spark of interest in Civil War history was his first visit to Gettysburg with his good friend Bob Russo. After which he started looking into his family history and discovered that his grandfather served in World War I and his great grandfather served in the Civil War, 12^th VA Co G. John went to Old Baldy meetings off and on for a few years until eventually deciding to join the organization. He has been a member for five years now and thoroughly enjoys it.  John is currently a volunteer battlefield interpreter at the Monterey Pass Battlefield, Blue Ridge Summit, PA where he conducts weekend tours on a monthly basis.

Ken Funkhouser was born in Savannah, Georgia at Hunter Army Airfield Hospital in September of 1954, while his father was in the Air Force. His parents moved back home to Indiana in early 1955. As the family grew, he became the oldest of eight children. He went to Cherry Hill East High School in New Jersey, where he participated in marching band, varsity track, and varsity gymnastics. He graduated in 1972, and recently attended his 50 year class reunion. After high school, he went to Rutgers University-Camden and graduated in 1976 with a degree in political science.

During his time at Rutgers University, Ken met Barbara, who would become his wife. He recalls their chance meeting as “love at first sight.” They were  married 45 years ago in 1977, and they love to travel. Ken and Barbara have a daughter who is a professional dog trainer, and a son who is an attorney. They also have two grandchildren. Some of Ken’s many personal interests are cars, photography, travel, history, and theater. He likes to show off  his two cars: a 1929 Model A Ford Sport Coupe, and a red 2017 Chevrolet Camaro.

Following in his father’s footsteps, his career path led him to become a Human Resources Manager for several different organizations. Working mostly in healthcare, he retired from Jefferson Health (formerly Kennedy Health) in December of 2020 after 30 years. In July of 2022, he accepted a part-time position in the Human Resources department of Inspira Health.

He is also interested in his town’s history having served on the Haddon Heights Historic Preservation Commission. He is on their executive board and has written the newsletter for the Haddon Heights Historical Society for the past 28 years. Other interests are automotive history, and history in general. Since his first retirement, he has been taking watercolor painting classes through the Haddonfield Adult School and has given some of his paintings to friends and family.

He learned about the Old Baldy Round Table through his friend Tom Scurria, and he has been involved with the group for almost five years. Another organization he has a connection to is the Ritz Theater Company in Haddon Township, New Jersey. He has been a subscriber there for 38 years and served as president of its board of directors. He also acted for the Ritz Theater, as he played the role of Bob Cratchit in “Scrooge: The Musical” for 18 years.

By Jim Heenehan

Bob was born in Camden, NJ.  He’s the third oldest among nine Fallon children. “You didn’t want to be late for meals!”  Outgrowing their home, the family moved to Merchantville in 1957.  There, he attended St. Peter School and Merchantville High School. 

“Back in those days, young kid’s activities included sports, biking, and playing war games with toy guns.  The latter seemed so natural, because most of our parents served during WWII, and we wanted to be just like them.  My youthful interest in warfare was expanded when a buddy introduced his collection of books and artifacts from that War and the Civil War. I never really lost interest.” 

Upon high school graduation, and with Vietnam intensifying, Bob enlisted into the Marine Corps.  “It was my turn to act.” Arriving in Da Nang on January 30, 1968 — start of the Tet Offensive — he was assigned to the 1^st Marine Division.  For 13 months, he witnessed the full spectrum of war.  “Combat made indelible impressions.  To this day, at an instant, when triggered, I can be back there seeing, sensing, and feeling the heart-pounding events.” 

Retuning to stateside duty, he had 2½ more years of his enlistment obligation—a difficult adjustment from the trials of combat. “Initially, it was difficult, simply finding peace.  Fortunately, I was able to turn around, primarily from my family, some friends, and my religion.  Others weren’t so lucky.  Another factor was a re-assignment from Quantico to DC, where I was selected as a staff car driver, taking notable military and political figures to and from all the Capitol-area venues.  But it also included many funerals at Arlington Cemetery.  At times, that was tough.”   

Enlistment ended mid-1971.  Bob then went to electronics school and became a technician at Schaevitz Engineering in Pennsauken, NJ.  He worked there for 20 years, with increasing roles, and became the Engineering Manager.  “During this time, a mentor encouraged me to start college.  I did, and enjoyed it, graduating nine years later from The University of Pennsylvania (aided by the GI Bill).  Also, during this time, I met Vicki, a wonderful woman, who, along with her three children, brought new meaning to my life.”  They married and now have four grandchildren.  Vicki also graduated from Penn.  Recently ending her career as a Data Processing Manager for the State of New Jersey, she is an accomplished quilter. 

He held two more Engineering Manager posts in Voorhees and Cherry Hill, before retiring.  Vicki and Bob have lived in Medford, NJ for the past 25 years.

Bob renewed his interest in The Civil War after viewing the 1990 Ken Burns Miniseries, and followed-up by reading Michael Shaara’s The Killer Angels, which lead to many more period books.  A favorite among the people he studied was A.P. Hill.  “The guy had moxie.” A focus of Bob’s studies is comparing the experiences of Civil War soldiers to his own.  

After some internet research, he discovered the Old Baldy Civil War Round Table. He called the phone number, and Mike Cavanaugh answered. They had a good conversation and Bob joined Old Baldy in 2005.

Bob has been to several battlefields. He finds them all memorable. While Antietam and Gettysburg are large-scale, he found the simplicity of Ball’s Bluff to be more poignant. “Vicki and I went there years ago, a fall afternoon, a tranquil setting: the brilliant autumn leaves, the stillness.  For a time, we were the only ones there.  While reflecting, it was like being in church.” One prerequisite for their battlefield touring is its proximity to fabric stores, for Vicki.   

Bob’s other interests include: working-out (basement gym), reading (mostly historical topics) and classical music (all periods, especially Baroque).  But, of prime importance is applying time and attention to the overall welfare of the extensive Fallon Family.  

In closing, Bob said that he “thoroughly enjoys Old Baldy. It gives me what I want: quality presentations and learning something new or about topics I had forgotten. Rich Jankowski and his team have elevated the Post with remarkable achievements, and made great advances in the diverse scope of Civil War education.”

We appreciate Bob’s sentiments and are glad he connected with Mike Cavanaugh 16 years ago.

Joseph Fafara was born in Roxborough, Philadelphia in March of 1969. He grew up in Philadelphia and lived with his parents and brother in Marlboro. As a child, he enjoyed

playing baseball, music, and the Civil War. He went to school at La Salle College High School, a private, Catholic, all-boys preparatory school in Philadelphia. After he graduated in 1987, he went to college at Temple University and graduated in 1992. He then went on to become a high school teacher for the School District of Philadelphia where he teaches U.S. history and U.S. government.

After meeting her at a wedding, Joseph married his wife Cathy in 1999. They had three daughters together named Jasmine, Abrielle, and Jordan. They now have two grandchildren, Alex and Alea, who live nearby and visit once a week. Joseph’s hobbies are similar to his hobbies as a child, as he watches baseball, listens to live music, and is still interested in the Civil War. He also enjoys playing the game Wordle and drinking craft beer. He and Cathy go on walks together on the Valley Green and Forbidden Drive trails in Philadelphia. They plan on retiring and moving to Nashville in two years.

He became interested in the Civil War when he read the Time-Life Civil War book series when he was in grade school. This series highlights the many battles and campaigns that took place during the war with each book focusing on a Civil War different topic. A childhood trip to the Gettysburg battlefield also piqued his interest. These things jump started a lifetime hobby and a career surrounding history. As well as the Civil War, Joseph is interested in history about U.S. presidents, the American Revolution, and Americans exploring the West.

Joseph joined the Old Baldy Civil War Round Table after he learned about the group in his time at Temple University. He is a member of many other history-related groups as well. The Surratt Society is a group dedicated to learning about the Lincoln assassination and the Surratt House. This group has monthly newsletters and plans tours to share information about the assassination and the events caused by it. The Blue and Gray Education Society raises money for the preservation of Civil War settings and plans tours surrounding early American history. The Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides of Gettysburg has events in Gettysburg for its members as well as a newsletter. The National Civil War Museum gives members access to free admission, tours with the curator, and a quarterly newsletter. The Adams County Historical Society houses artifacts and records pertaining to Gettysburg and raises funds for a new museum called Beyond the Battle.

Kathy Clark often wonders what life was like for women in the American Civil War. The females, white and black, who had a deep devotion to family and community and who stepped forward to risk their lives to do good. One of those selfless women who Kathy admires is Harriet Tubman, the “She-Moses.”

Tubman was enslaved, escaped, and helped others realize freedom on the Underground Railroad. The abolitionist and social justice activist is documented to have rescued at least 70 people during 13 trips to her native Maryland, and instructed dozens of others on how to escape on their own. “Harriet Tubman was an exceptional person with courage. Just to get people out of the south she put her life on the line. She could have been easily caught. She gave up everything for herself to help black men, women and children. She was on a Liberty ship to help liberate enslaved people from plantation homes. And then at the end she cared for black people in her house in Auburn, NY.”

In addition to her interest in women in the Civil War, Kathy is intrigued by the hospitals of the era, and also Walt Whitman and Clara Barton, both self-taught nurses. She is a member of the Society for Women and the Civil War, and has been vice president of Old Baldy CWRT for six years, a member for nine.

Born in 1947 in East Camden, New Jersey, Kathy thought she would work as a secretary when she grew up. “There were not a lot of jobs open to women then.” What she really wanted to do was become an artist, perhaps illustration or fashion design. In her junior year of high school – with her father’s support – she attended weekend classes at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and soon came to like acrylic painting (still enjoys it.) But then her father died, and Kathy made the decision to go college and study elementary education. She graduated in 1969 from Temple University.  “I did it for him. I thought he would be extremely proud of me graduating from college.”

In 1972 Kathy moved to Mount Laurel, New Jersey with her husband Bill. After seven years teaching second-graders in Maple Shade Township, Kathy decided to leave the classroom. She would work from home helping Bill with his residential and commercial security business.

(Sadly, Bill died in 2007. They were married for 38 years.)

Kathy fills her daily life with counted cross-stitch and reading mystery and history books. She writes articles and reviews of Old Baldy meeting presentations for our newsletter. For the 2018 Civil War Navy Symposium on board the Battleship New Jersey, Kathy was responsible for

soliciting donations from businesses and organizations for the raffle auction. She takes photos at Old Baldy events, which means we have no photos of her!

Kathy found Old Baldy through continuing education classes at The Center at Camden County College. She was in a Civil War class and picked up information on Old Baldy. Rich Jankowski happened to be there and encouraged her to attend a meeting. She did, and Old Baldy CWRT is all the better for it.

She became interested in the Civil War after taking American History in college. Once the history bug bit, Kathy and Bill visited historic Gettysburg and later went on steamboat trips to Vicksburg and Shiloh. At that time there were Civil War lectures on the trips. She also has followed the escape trail of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth, starting at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. and ending at the Garrett farm in Bowling Green, Virginia. “Booth is not my favorite person. His southern views were way off.”

With a strong wanderlust, Kathy took to traveling all over the world, including a solo New York to Southampton, England trip in October 2008. The QE2, in tandem with the QM2, was making its final transatlantic voyage before retiring to Dubai. Why go solo? Her traveling companion discovered at the last minute that her passport was somewhere other than her purse.

Profile written by Kim Weaver