Marlow Man Inducted into Centenarians of Oklahoma

Charles Eugene Gallaway of Marlow recently reached a milestone few achieve, celebrating his 100th birthday and being inducted into the Centenarians of Oklahoma as member No. 3154.

Gallaway was born Aug. 29, 1925, at home in Meeker, Lincoln County, to Arthur Joseph “A.J.” Gallaway and Ada Maude (Boland) Gallaway. The son of a dairyman and homemaker, Gallaway grew up with two siblings in a family rooted in hard work and faith. His father lived to be 103, a longevity Charles now follows proudly.

A veteran of World War II, Gallaway served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in France. In a memorable moment during his service, he treated a patient who turned out to be a former Meeker classmate. Following the war, he began a career at Tinker Air Force Base, where he worked until retiring on his 55th birthday in 1980.

Gallaway first married Eva Parlee Kirchmeier in 1949, and together they shared 55 years of marriage until her passing in 2005. He later married Janice Kirchmeier in 2007, and the couple has enjoyed 18 years together. He is the father of three sons—Max (deceased), Ronald, and David Gallaway—and the grandfather to four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Throughout his life, Gallaway has been active in his faith at Mammoth Baptist Church in Meeker and gave his time volunteering at Meeker Elementary School. He enjoys watching Oklahoma State Cowboys football, spending Christmas with family, traveling across the country and abroad, and never turning down a good steak.

Looking back on a century of life, Gallaway says he has been impressed by advances in medicine and aviation. His guiding values remain honor, duty, sacrifice, service, and dedication to family. When asked his advice to younger generations, his response is simple: “Stay out of trouble.”

The Centenarians of Oklahoma organization honors and records the lives of Oklahomans who reach the age of 100, celebrating their contributions and preserving their stories.

Gallaway’s family, friends, and community are celebrating not only his milestone birthday but also a lifetime of service and devotion.