Date of death: 4/16/2010
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1939
John Joseph Galvin passed away of a sudden heart attack at home at the age of 94. His wife Elizabeth survives him. He was one of three brothers born to James and Mary Moran Galvin in Indianapolis, Indiana, both of whom preceded him in death: James P. Galvin in 1995 and Lawrence Galvin in 2000. He attended Butler University in Indianapolis, where he was the editor of the school newspaper. One of his recent pleasures was enjoying how well his school did in the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament. The night his team lost by one point he said emphatically “Wait until next year. He attended graduate school at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he met his wife to be, Elizabeth Hess. They both received Master’s in Social Work Degrees in 1940. They were married in Manasquan, New Jersey on August 8, 1940. John joined the US Bureau of Prisons, where he worked for 30 years. He was Warden at two major institutions and spent his last three years as Associate Director of the Bureau in Washington, DC. He then moved to Oregon to head up the State Department of Corrections. In 1972, Governor Tom McCall appointed him the first director of the newly created Oregon Children Services Division. He later worked in various consulting positions before retiring in 1980. In the 1980s, John and Elizabeth moved to Hawaii, where they had vacationed for many years. They lived in Waikiki, enjoying swimming, lawn bowling, and a variety of cultural, religious, and volunteer activities for a number of years. In 2005, they moved back to San Francisco. Travel had always been an important part of John and Elizabeth’s life and they continued this in retirement. He and Elizabeth traveled to Asia, South America, and Europe, often joining other members of the family. They became regular attendees at the San Francisco Opera and also attended operas at Santa Fe, elsewhere in the US, and in Europe. John is also survived by his three children, James Galvin, Joan Huff, and Ann Homan; his four grandchildren, Bonnie Galvin, Jenny Galvin, Joel Huff, and Mark Huff; and his three great grandchildren, Rowan Meagher, Tyler Huff, and Fiona Meagher. John donated his remains to the UCSF Medical Center for research purposes. The family requests that in lieu of flowers you remember him in your prayers or make a contribution in his name to the Butler University scholarship fund.Published in San Francisco Chronicle on May 2, 2010”