William Gallery – 50th Reunion Essay

William Gallery

3875 Northbrook Drive

Boulder, CO 80304

wogallery@comcast.net

339-223-9362

Spouse(s): RoseAnn Juliano (1971)

Child(ren): Rachel E. (1975); Deborah C. (1978); Matthew J. (1979); William O., III (1982)

Grandchild(ren): Mathilda Spaustat (2000); Charlie Spaustat (2004); Barrett Gallery (2004); Abel Gallery (2018)

Education: U. Chicago, MS, 1974, PhD Meteorology (still pending), 1979

Career: Research meteorologist specializing in infrared radiative transfer

College: Jonathan Edwards

“Life Is What Happens to You While You’re Busy Making Other Plans”

Here is a timeline of my life since Yale, more for my own benefit than anything else.

June 1968: Graduated Yale BS Physics

July 1969–June 1971: Peace Corp, Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana, West Africa. Taught math and science

Aug. 1971: Married RoseAnn Juliano, Albertus Magnus 1970

Sept. 1971–June 1978: Chicago

Dept. Geophysical Sciences, U. Chicago

June 1974: MS meteorology

June 1975: RoseAnn got MS social work from SSA, U. Chicago

Oct. 1975: birth of daughter Rachel E., now assistant prof., U. Arizona, Tucson, ecology

April 1978: birth of daughter Deborah C., now civil engineer, Steamboat Springs, CO

June 1978: Ph.D. meteorology (sort of, don’t ask and I won’t tell)

June 1978–August 2012: Winchester,
Massachusetts

June 1978–Aug. 2012: scientist, various companies in the Boston area

Sept. 1979: birth of son Matthew J., now Dept. Treasury, DC

Oct. 1982: birth of son William O., III, (Harvard 2004), now World Bank, DC

August 2012–Present: Boulder, Colorado

Scientist at the National Ecological Observation Network (NEON)

In the 50 years since Yale, my life has been a series of accidents, random decisions and luck (almost all good). Actually, I wasn’t “Making Other Plans” but just fell into things.

Our greatest legacy and pride is our four children, who are all happy, of good character, well married, successful and not living in our basement. They are all good people who will make the world a better place. We would like to take all the credit for this, but have seen too many other parents who are just as loving and responsible but whose children are struggling or failing. As I said, luck. Our four grandchildren are a delight if too distant for comfort.

My career as a meteorologist has been satisfying if unspectacular. I am still working because I want to. Retirement scares me.