Thank you for recognizing Richard Carl Gall for the 2023 Belleville Wildcat Wall of Fame. Certainly, a special honor and wonderful recognition. Our family is. grateful. We appreciate everyone's efforts in making today and this event possible. Congratulations to the other inductees, and their families.
My name is Doug, I'm Richard's son and I'm here today with my mother Rosemary, Richard's wife, my sister Kathy, and her family. Unfortunately, my wife and family were unable to attend due to out-of-state family commitments. Dad's sister Nancy, Belleville High School Class of 1962, currently lives out East and extends her gratitude and appreciation.
Dad's selection for the Wildcat Wall of Fame, and this plaque, would've meant a great deal to him, and his parents, Carl and Mina Gall. That being said, he was never a person looking for recognition, awards or certificates, he was fill about the work. Working on the next problem, the next project, always striving to reach a better understanding of how to improve or advance the world around him for the future. In other words, Dad was an engineer.
"You can take the boy out of the small town, but you can't take the small town out of the boy". This sentiment has been often expressed by Mom over the years, when describing Dad. Yes, Dad never forgot where he came from. In his youth, he rode his bike everywhere in town. Until, he got his car keys! He had a newspaper route for many years, mowed lawns, worked at Lyle Herfel's Mobil Station on the corner, Lester Willoughby's Radio Shop and eventually owned his own television repair shop. Over the years, he always kept Belleville people and businesses in mind whenever something was needed for a project he and his company were working on. This also applied to the personal side of his life, Belleville was foremost in mind, and heart.
Through the years, even though living in Middleton, he purchased his cars and the company trucks from Eddie Gillette at Belleville Auto Company and Rich and Rick Francois at Francois Ford Sales & Service. He had the vehicles serviced at the dealerships as well to give them repeat business, always filling up with gas prior to leaving town. Insurance for those vehicles was purchased through Harley Rasmussen and Bill Fahey of the Rasmussen Agency on Main Street. For decades, Dad received his haircuts from Bill Murphy at Bill's Barber Shop. This also allowed him to stay current on local news, share a few stories and perhaps stop for lunch at Borland's, or maybe some baked goods from Donny Marty's Bakery? The Belleville Community Picnic was, and still is, always on the family calendar. A highlight of the year, Dad enjoyed sharing with his family and hometown friends.
Other local businesses Dad worked with include, Cate Machine & Welding who fabricated various metal components for company products and projects, thank you to the Cate family for their customization expertise. Jack Short, of Short Electric, provided machinery and construction crews when Dad was building the cable television system and Joe Buol, of Buol Builders, constructed the building the system originated from. All, truly great businesses and people to work with.
Speaking of great people, Dad always placed priority on hiring Belleville area people to work on building and operating the cable system and working at CTI manufacturing products for the communications industry. When C.H. Hageman, of this school, gave him college level books to challenge him, way back in high school, who would've thought?!
Who would've thought that young crewcut high school student would study those books and eventually create his own company, employing approximately twenty people during its peak years. A company that provided satellite antenna control systems for television stations nationwide. A company that provided remote camera control systems for United States military bases here and abroad. One of Dad's significant national achievements was partnering with a Florida company to design and implement a custom remote camera control system for the Kennedy Space Center. Detailed, sequential photos of rocket launches were recorded for research purposes. Truly, a once in a lifetime project. Who would've thought?
There's an old saying, "There's no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs". I mention this because in researching Dad's career you may have noticed he graduated from Belleville High School in 1958. Yet, as intelligent as he was, valedictorian, etc., finally, nine years later earned his electrical engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1967. He was definitely taking the stairs in college.
There was a reason, after a few years in college he met Mom, a student from Middleton, at the Memorial Union on campus. They married, a few years later I came along, then Kathy arrived and by then Dad was taking fewer courses, dropped out and was working at his television repair shop on Main Street. That was all well and fine until Mom declared, he needed to finish and earn his degree, she already had hers, by the way!
For you seniors, only a week away from graduation, please note, the stairs to success aren't straight up nor are the steps equal in height. There are many types of staircases, one step at a time, that will reach your definition of success in life. The key is, work hard and take the stairs!
In conclusion, "Did you make a difference today?" "Did you make a difference today?" "Did you make a difference today?"
That was a common question Dad would ask at the end of the day, whether it was at the office, or around the dinner table. It was his way of asking for a status report on how the day went. A time to reflect and discuss the events of the day. How could we do better, learn from mistakes, improve? And, plan for tomorrow. He always encouraged his family and employees to make a difference each day. Without question, he certainly did!
Thank you for welcoming our family, thank you for honoring Richard Carl Gall on the Belleville Wildcat Wall of Fame, thank you for being Belleville Wildcats and lastly, thank you for making a difference now, and in the future!
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