Galen Ray Courtney

Galen Ray Courtney, 77, of Rumney, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, January 12, 2011.Galen was born on December 5, 1933, on a farm in southwest Oklahoma, the son of Fred and Bertha M. (Fallin) Courtney. Galen was raised in Frederick, OK, and graduated from the Frederick High School, Class of '51. He then moved to Ft. worth, Texas to work in TV Electronics, and obtained his HAM radio license in Dallas, TX, in 1952.  Galen entered the United States Air Force in May of 1953, and served in electronics where he taught electronic fundamentals. For about one and a half years he was stationed at the Templehof AF Base (Berlin, Germany) in the USAF Security Service in the intelligence area.  Galen attended the University of NH and graduated in June of '61 with a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering (cum laude), he then went on to earn a Master's degree of Electrical Engineering at the New York University in June of '63.  He was a member of many Honor Societies including:  National Engineering Honor Society (Tau Beta Pi), National Honor Society (Phi Kappa Phi), National Mathematics Honor Society (Pi Mu Epsilon), he served as an officer in each society, and as President of the local chapter of the Institute of Radio and Electrical Engineers.Galen was employed with Bell Telephone Laboratories from July, 1961to May, 1989, and worked in the area of designing and testing a new type of electronic telephone switching equipment. He obtained a patent on one of his circuit designs that was used in the early versions of this equipment for US Government communications.He and his wife Mary retired in 1989 to serve as volunteers at the Rumney Bible Conference, in Rumney. Mary worked in the office as the bookkeeper and performed other duties, and Galen served as the Maintenance Director.Galen and Mary are members of the Gateway Alliance Church, in Plymouth, NH. He is also a member of the Gideons, which distributes Bibles and Testaments.Galen is predeceased by his parents, one sister, and three brothers, and a nephew.He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Mary Jane (Badger) Courtney, of Rumney; two sons, David Courtney and wife Dotty, of Wheaton, IL, and Carl Courtney and wife Saskia, of Peoria, IL; a daughter, Cheryl Courtney Semick and husband Pete, also of Peoria, IL; a sister, Catherine Doyle, of OR; three grandchildren, Tim Courtney, of IL, Chad Cartwright and wife Jessica, of IL, and Tiemo and Gavin Courtney, also of IL; a great-grandson, Ethan Cartwright, of IL; seven nephews, Charles Edwards, James Erskine, Fred Edwards, and John, Rick, Mike, and Pat Courtney; five great-nieces and four great nephews.Memorials:In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Galen's memory to the Rumney Bible Conference, Rumney, NH.Visitation:A calling hour will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, at Mayhew Funeral Home, 12 Langdon St., Plymouth, from 10:00 am through 11:00 am.Service:A funeral service will follow the calling hour in the funeral home at 11:00 am. Rev. Henry Harding, pastor of the Gateway alliance Church will officiate.Cemetery:Interment will be held at the Newington Cemetery, in Newington, NH, and will be private.