We will be getting together to celebrate the life and stories of Will von Gal. Please join us up on The Hill in Autaugaville. There will be food, drinks and a live band. Please dress comfortably.
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OBITUARY
On Tuesday May 18, 2021, William von Gal, loving husband and father of two sons, passed away at 72. Born August 18th 1949 in Montgomery, AL. Lived and passed in Autaugaville, AL.
Will took a chance on me as a young man and showed me the ropes of being successful in sales at Autauga Arms. I will never forget him opening his land for me to hunt and grow as an outdoor enthusiast. Great individual and will surely be remembered for... moreWill took a chance on me as a young man and showed me the ropes of being successful in sales at Autauga Arms. I will never forget him opening his land for me to hunt and grow as an outdoor enthusiast. Great individual and will surely be remembered for the opportunity he offered me. less
Will was a wonderful man and an amazing friend. His love of adventure and morbid sense of humor was contagious. Once exposed you were never the same, and the world was ripe with endless possibilities. Once mid story, I interrupted to ask “why” and he... moreWill was a wonderful man and an amazing friend. His love of adventure and morbid sense of humor was contagious. Once exposed you were never the same, and the world was ripe with endless possibilities. Once mid story, I interrupted to ask “why” and he simply replied “because I can.” That was when I realized just how alike we were.
We live an extraordinary life because he paved the way showing Clint and Kal how to live outside the box as kids, and they’ve never stopped. In the process, he taught my husband how to be an amazing father and for that I’m forever grateful.
There are no absolutes, no rules we can’t bend, and if anyone tries to put us in a box....
Will taught us how to blow it up. less
It's taken me some time to be able to write these words. It's quite literally the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and I feel like that's saying something as someone who's spent the last 37 years of their life as a core component to William... moreIt's taken me some time to be able to write these words. It's quite literally the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and I feel like that's saying something as someone who's spent the last 37 years of their life as a core component to William Bellingrath von Gal's life. I'm not suggesting that life with him was difficult, it was not, it's only to say that he lived a very large life full of adventure and excitement which I consider myself lucky to have been a part of and that many of the things that he and I experienced and accomplished together seem impossible by many standards.
Will was my father, not by blood, but by choice. Both his and mine. That always seemed to make our bond more special. The fact that he had no traditional or instinctual obligation to care for me but chose my brother Clint and I to raise as his own meant something to us all that I'm not sure I can put into words that would describe it appropriately.
Will wasn't someone who lived life in any traditional sense. He genuinely lived life to the fullest. He worked Hard, he played Hard, he loved Hard, and he LIVED Hard. A life of extremes to be sure but also a life lived by very simple standards.
He always enforced a very basic and real standard of living. Be Honest, " Say what you mean and mean what you say." A favorite quote of mine. "Stand up for yourself and more importantly stand up for anyone else who can't or won't stand up for themselves." The Golden Rule: "Treat others the way you'd have them treat you and if that doesn't work take their fucking gold and forget them." He was full of colloquialisms like that but they weren't empty slogans, it was how he lived his life and taught me to live mine.
In that vein his teaching methods were far from normal or traditional. When I was a child and uncomfortable with heights he taught me to climb mountains, and we climbed many. When I didn't like to fly he and I took a single engine aircraft from Montgomery Alabama and flew to Anchorage Alaska and by the time we got back I had a student pilot license and was able to fly on my own. When I had a interest in Bigfoot we went out West and spent weeks living in a tent while we "hunted bigfoot."
We've crossed oceans by both boat and plane, we've traveled the world together; we've even stood on the North Pole together. Stories that I don't dare share with people who haven't met Will because they'd never believe me. If you ever met him and I say these things you would say "yep that sounds like Will." If you hadn't meant him and I said these things you'd call me a liar, and I've been called a liar many times. That's fine too. Those stories weren't for them they were for Will and I and for everyone else that experienced them.
People who've known us both and believe the stories have called us brave. That's true for him but a unfair characterization of myself. Being brave is experiencing fear and overcoming that fear to accomplish your objective. When I was with Will I never truly experienced fear. He was seemingly invincible and when I was with him I felt invincible. I always knew, not thought, but KNEW that nothing could harm me as longs as Will was by my side and it proved to be true time and time again.
I am now truly fearful for the first time in my life because he is no longer by my side. But I take comfort in the fact that he's made me the man I am and if he helped to create my person than I'm surely capable of continuing to live my life the way that he taught me that life was meant to be lived and do so confidently.
Now that I've gotten this far, and reread it, I realize this is probably a terrible eulogy to my father. I haven't provided much detail to his life or shed much light on his uncountable generous acts to help others. I haven't spoken to his grander accomplishments in life and work and it feel's very self centered on myself, and it is, but these are words I want to share with anyone who loved Will and knew him or us. I'm grateful for our life together and I'm especially grateful to have had the opportunity to tell him personally exactly how I felt over the past few months while he was sick. An opportunity that I know many didn't have. As much as he loved everyone in his life he didn't want anyone to see or remember him as anything other than the way he lived his life, not the end of his life, but the life he lived and shared and experienced with everyone invited to this page.
I end by sending an especial thank you to Johnnie von Gal. I thank you for being there in Will's final hours but also for being there for both a large portion of his and my own life. I love your strength, your support, everything that you are. I love you. You're my new favorite person; apologies for saying that to my son Kashius, my wife Kathleen and my sister in law Kelly, she can get a little jealous.
Writing these words were difficult but if you took the time to read them I ask that you take a moment to consider sharing your own thoughts or memories on this page and let us all know what Will meant to you. Even if you hated him, and I've talked to a few of you too this past week; and frankly your stories were just as interesting and we'd love to hear them.
Will didn't live a traditional life and never wanted a traditional death. He would never want anyone feeling sorry for him or themselves. At his request we will not be having any formal funeral service we'll be having a celebration of his life on the first Saturday in October, once the weather cools off a bit and we can all actually enjoy ourselves during the celebration. This page serves as a memorial in the meantime but it is just that. Happy, sad, good or bad it's all just memories. Feel free to share them. Will would love to hear them as we all would. less
I have to say one of my favorite memories of Will was when we all went on Family vacation together in Cedar Key, Fl. Clint,Kal,Danny, Kelly,Kat, myself, Aiden, baby Kash, and Leyman and also some friends who came later on in the trip. Being invited on... moreI have to say one of my favorite memories of Will was when we all went on Family vacation together in Cedar Key, Fl. Clint,Kal,Danny, Kelly,Kat, myself, Aiden, baby Kash, and Leyman and also some friends who came later on in the trip. Being invited on Will’s family trip already speaks volumes as to his character acceptance of my husband Danny.Kal and Clint’s brother (step-brother). Even though Danny is a hard read , it was VERY special to him to be able to connect with Kal, Clint and Will. Blood or not ,he is family as are you . Will told me that on our first night when I thanked him for having us. This trip was the first trip in a long time for Danny and I. I was worried about my toddler son and how he would act especially if he had an “I’m tired tantrum.” I remember Will telling me (in his deep voice southern accent) darlin, just relax, there ain’t nothing to be worring about, Alright! Just that in itself made my entire trip. We would all stay up and talk late into the night and talk about life , politics, and crazy stories he would tell as if you were right there at that very moment in time. You could tell Will LOVED history. We all went exploring cedar key and he was our tour guide. We also went on day trips to the different Florida springs during this time as well. He was up for an adventure with all of us adult kids and little grandkids as well. Speaking of grandkids, he loved them! Dan and I, our son was not his actual grandchild but he treated him no different then his own.
It happened to be one of the hottest summers and I said, I wish we had a pool the kids could swim in. Well... next thing you know, Will and I get into his Jeep, and we drive an hour away to the nearest Walmart to buy a big blow up pool (the one he wanted to buy was the HUGE one with a pool pump) so we both settled on the medium size one , but a pool wasn’t enough, he said we have to get the kids some toys: squirt guns, water balloons, all these water toys for the kids. I said Will, I think we are good. He gave me this look, you know that look I’m talking about. Then I said oh how about this and I said oh here’s a water ball. He said “Alright, get one for each child.” Next thing you know we have a shopping cart full of toys etc. He was very generous in so many ways. I am just so thankful to have been part of his family and this family trip. This memory will always be stored in my heart.
Will most definitely be missed less
My Dad raised me on his crazy stories. Then made me a part of those crazy stories and now I make my own with my wife and son. Thank you Dad, For everything.