Long time Cherry County Rancher, Orville Gallino, passed away Friday December 26th, 2003 at the Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, NE. Orville was born November 6th, 1932 to Charles and Gertrude Gallino, in Kilgore, NE. The family resided in rural Spring Creek, SD until Orville was in the 5th grade when they moved to Valentine, NE, he finished the 5th grade in Cornell School. His 6th grade year he went to the Valentine Lutheran School, 7th and 8th grade he attended Valentine Public Schools. In the spring of 1950 he went to work for the Eatinger Cattle Company at the age of 16. That was when he started riding bulls, and his rodeo career got started. In March of 1953 Orville joined the Army, and was in the 82nd Airborne at Fort Chaffee, AR and Fort Bragg, NC until March of 1955. He continued his rodeo career when he returned, working all events, but the main ones were Bareback, Saddle Broncs, and Bullriding. He became a well-known Bullfighter in the Nebraska High School Rodeo circuit, fighting bulls for the NHSRA finals for 15 years, 13 years at Harrison, NE, and 2 years at North Platte, NE. He also fought the National High School Finals 2 years. In October of 1955 Orville married Marietta Bush at Pierre, SD, to this union 2 children were born, Twyla Gallino, and Kitty (Gallino) Vander Wey both of Valentine, NE. In the fall of 1958 Orville and Marietta moved to the ranch South of Valentine, where they continue to ranch. In 1992 they moved onto an acreage west of Valentine on Chaduza Road.
Orville was preceded in death by his parents, Gertrude and Charles Gallino, and 1 sister Charlotte (Gallino) Hamar. Orville leaves behind, his wife Marietta, two daughters Twyla and Kitty (Gallino) & Rick Vander Wey, four grandchildren, Tyrel Yager, Ethan and Brayden Hammer, and Sadie Vander Wey, four brothers Bill and Nile Gallino, RH and Byron Eatinger and a host of loving nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
An evening of Caring and Sharing will be held December 29th from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. at the Holmes Funeral Home 321 N. Wood Street, all are welcome to attend. Funeral services will be held December 30th at 2:00 P.M. at the Methodist Church 804 East 5th Street, in Valentine, NE. Burial to follow at Mount Hope Cemetery. Everyone is welcome to come back to the Fellowship Hall at the Methodist Church for coffee and cake after the burial.
(written especially for Orville Gallino)
He was born in God’s cattle country…’might say he was born to the land;
he grew up just bein’ a cowboy and they claim there was no better hand.
His world was constantly changing, but the best change he had in his life
was the day that he met
They started their lifetime together on the prairie they both learned to love;
together they faced many hardships, but were blessed by our God up above
‘cause he gave ‘em two wonderful children, and they were the pride of his life;
together they helped him to build up the ranch, along with his hard working wife.
Those two kids were all that he lived for…might say they were his claim-to-fame;
… precious to him, “Number One” in his life…that is ‘till the grandchildren came!
And no matter how hard any job was, he would try turnin’ it into fun;
he always had time for a neighbor, and it seemed that he loved everyone.
He competed at many a-rodeo, but the one thing he liked to do best
was keeping the bull riders protected, and those riders all thought him the best.
There’s a hundred bad things that can happen when a man’s ridin’ bulls, so it’s said,
but with Orville protecting those cowboys, they knew there was little to dread.
And he never fought bulls for the glory, he did it to just help ‘em out
the thanks that he got was his payment, and was paid lots of that, there’s no doubt.
But there’s a time in everyone’s lifetime when a bull fighter’s done all he can,
and it’s then as he faces his battle that he puts all his cares in God’s hands.
How little he knew that the battle that he was about to begin
was tougher than fightin’ those brahmas, but he never gave up to the end.
Some say that men are like horses, and some stand apart from the rest,
especially in the toughest of times when they have been put to the test.
We all have been touched by his presence; we all have been blessed by this man,
and we know he’s with his protector, as he peacefully rests in God’s hands.
(by Yvonne Hollenbeck –
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"A person without a plan for the day is lost before they start." Lewis K. Bendele
MGM
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