Remembering Rita Galloway

Rita Galloway, retired special events coordinator, University Relations, died Feb. 27, 2011, in Maple Grove, Minn.  She was 73.

Rita was born Oct. 14, 1937, and was raised in East Grand Forks. She first joined the UND staff in 1959 as the program director for the Memorial Union. She held that job for four years.  In 1968, she became an administrative assistant for the Vice President for Student Affairs, where she helped write the first Code of Student Life.  From 1976 to 1978 she was with the Division of Continuing Education, and then moved to the President’s office from 1978 to 1988.  She was named special projects coordinator in what is now University Relations in 1988.

She coordinated the American Society of Engineering Education conference in 1979, the first national conference hosted by UND.  Rita was responsible for coordinating the annual Founders Day program for 14 years, and coordinated up to five commencement ceremonies each year for 12 years. She worked on many special events, including a visit from President Ronald Reagan. She retired from the UND in 1999 after more than 30 years of service.

Rita was an avid gardener and bridge player who loved being outdoors and active in her community.

She is survived by her husband, Henry “Holly” Galloway; children, Kim (Naman), Kevin (Paula), Kelly (Shirley) and Kirk Monson; 14 grandchildren; sister, Janny Haney and brother, Bob Belt; also many nieces and nephews.

The memorial service is at 11 a.m. Friday, March 4, at Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel of Plymouth, 15800 37th Ave. N., Plymouth, Minn. Memorials are preferred to Mount Saint Benedict Monastery; 620 E. Summit Ave., Crookston, Minn. 56716 to fund emergency relief.