John A. Gale

July 18, 1928 - June 22, 2015

Captain John Aden Gale, Sr., age 86, a lifelong resident of Millville and Heislerville, NJ passed peacefully into the home of our loving God, running into the waiting arms of his beloved wife of 61 years, Eleanor May (nee: Pennington) on June 22, 2015 at Spring Oak Assisted Living in Vineland. After a long, bravely fought battle with Parkinson’s disease, Captain John has now met his Savior face to face. A proud, hard-working, good man, he began working for the Whitall Tatum Company in Millville at 14 years old, worked in the mold shops of Armstrong Cork, Kerr Glass, Durand Glass, as well as doing odd jobs throughout his life to support his large family. He spent a lifetime with a love of the sea; during his most satisfying years, he captained the boats Eleanor M., Mona, Leona and Leona II on the Delaware Bay primarily from Matt’s Landing where he owned Gale’s Marina until its destruction by fire in 1969 and Gale’s Marina II for many years, one of his favorite enjoyments other than family in his retirement was his mountain house in South Western PA. Where he enjoyed hunting deer and turkeys and having friends visit. Captain John is the father of six children, Eleanor (Rick) Boone, of Vineland, Gladys (Ronald, Sr.) Callahan of Cape Coral, FL, John, Jr. (Hilda Ann) of Eldora, Joseph, Sr. (Vicki) of Fernley, NV, Danny, Sr. (Patricia) of Heislerville, and Mona (Paul) Mauro of Vineland; 13 grandchildren and their spouses, Edward Robinson, Diana Carroll, John Paul, Joseph, Jr., Bethany Schultz, Ronald Callahan, Jr., Cheryl Opuszynski, Danny, Jr., Krista Callahan, Andrea Caldwell, Melissa Hand, Samantha and Michaela Mauro, and 16 great-grandchildren. He is survived by one sister, Doris Freeman and one sister-in-law, Helen Gale, three sisters-in-law, Isabelle Locker, Caroline Hooven and Rose Coulter and one brother-in-law, Jack Pennington, best friend James and Juanita Gale, as well as generations of cousins, nieces and nephews. Captain John was pre-deceased by his parents, Lewis and Hannah (Reeves) Gale, Sr.; five brothers, Lewis, Jr., Floyd, Earl, Joseph, Charles and one sister, Hannah Davis. His deep love for family, for being on or near the Delaware Bay and a lifetime ethic of hard work will be his legacy. Visitation will be held at the Hoffman Funeral Homes 643 Main Street in Leesburg, NJ on Friday, 6/26 from 6-8 pm and Saturday, 6/27 from 10-11 am. The service will begin at 11 am with interment immediately following at the Heislerville UMC cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made in his name to the Heislerville UMC at P.O. Box 227, Heislerville, NJ 08324.