Obituary for Reverend Merl Galusha Jr. CALEDONIA – Reverend Merl L. Galusha, Jr. went home to be with Jesus on May 22, 2018. Merl was born May 27, 1938 in Oneonta, NY to Merl L. Galusha, Sr. and Bernice Davie. He graduated from Burnt Hill-Ballston Lake High School, Union College, and Pittsburgh Seminary and was ordained to Christian ministry at First Presbyterian Church, Schenectady, NY in 1964.
He served as pastor of Concord and North Washington Presbyterian Churches in Western Pennsylvania and as Youth Pastor at Mt. Lebanon Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA. From 1972 to 1982, Merl was engaged in mission work in Africa.
In Ethiopia, he taught at Good Shepherd School in Addis Ababa, where children of missionaries as well as local Ethiopian children attended his classes, and then served as Project Director in Chebera where he led efforts to build local schools and provide medical support and Christian witness to people in remote villages in Southwestern Ethiopia. Following his work in Ethiopia, Merl went on to Zambia, bringing educational opportunities, medical support and Christian witness to the people in remote villages in the northeastern region of that country. Upon returning to the United States, Merl was called to the United Presbyterian Stone Church in Caledonia, NY and served faithfully as its beloved pastor from 1982 to 2003.
During his tenure, he was active in the Genesee Valley Presbytery, serving on numerous committees and as Treasurer. After his retirement as pastor of Stone Church, Merl served as the Presbytery’s Financial Administrator for 10 years. Merl served on the founding board for Teresa House in Geneseo, NY and as treasurer, he was instrumental in obtaining the organization’s status as a not-for-profit agency.
He was also a founding member of the board of directors of Focus on the Children, where he served on the board and as treasurer from the agency’s inception until his retirement in 2016. Merl is survived by his wife Jane Passamonte of Caledonia, NY; brother David (Edith) Galusha of Burlington, CT; sons Merl L. “Chip” (Michelle) Galusha III of Farmville, NC and Peter L. (Kim) Galusha of Maize, KS; step-children Pamela J. (Steven) Tiede of Painter, VA and R. Michael Roggow of Norfolk, VA; grandchildren Cody, Maury, Whitney, Lauren, Sam and Emily; step-grandchildren Emily, Megan, Noah, Judah, Glory Anna, Asher and Thomas; great-grandchildren Cameron, Brayden, Sophia and Payton. Those wishing to honor Merl’s memory may consider a gift to Teresa House, 21 Highland Rd.
, Geneseo, NY 14454, Focus on the Children P.O. Box 31, Caledonia, NY 14423, or to the Presbyterian Foundation in support of Bethel Evangelical Secondary School, Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia, C/O Presbyterian Church (USA) P.O. Box 643700 Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700 Project # E862104 Friends may call Thursday, May 31 from 7-9 P.M. and Friday, June 1 from 2-4 P.M. at the Alhart Funeral Home, 3068 W. Main Street, Caledonia. His Funeral Service will be held Saturday, June 2, 2018, 11 A.M. at the First Presbyterian Church, 3080 Main Street, Caledonia. Interment will be held at Mumford Rural Cemetery.
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