Joy Dawn Reil Gallacher

Joy Dawn Reil Gallacher (91 years old) passed away on March 20, 2025, at her home on the ranch where she had lived for 74 years. Joy was born May 12, 1933 in Carrizozo, NM to Minnie Leora Brown Reil and Dutch Vincent Reil. Her faith in God was her greatest strength, and this was seen in the love she showed her family each day. Joy accomplished much in her life. She skipped two grades in elementary school and went off to college at the young age of 16 years old. She attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, TX before transferring to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. Joy graduated from Texas Tech with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1953. Thus began her lifelong love of the Red Raiders. One of her favorite things was to watch a Texas Tech football or basketball game. While at Texas Tech, Joy was a founding chapter member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, and she remained an active Texas Tech alumni for the rest of her life. After college, her first job was in Midland, TX for Humble Oil, a part of the Standard Oil Company, in the research and development office. After a year and a half, she was eligible for a transfer to Roswell, which brought her closer to home. In 1955, she got the opportunity to travel to Hawaii with friends from Roswell. They visited the Big Island and stayed at the Grand Hawaiian Hotel for $29 a night. While employed by Humble Oil Company, she was a member and officer for the Association of Desk & Derrick Clubs. She served as a director and president in 1956. She later moved back home to Carrizozo to help her parents and serve as the accountant for her father’s Chevrolet dealership, which was founded in 1908.

Joy had known Bill Gallacher, the eventual love of her life, while growing up in Carrizozo. They reconnected when she moved back, and they were married on July 9, 1960 . Bill and Joy said that the 1960’s brought rain for the grass and kids for their family. They became parents to Debra Kay in 1963, and to William Gray and Carol Lynn in 1967. She often talked about not knowing she was having twins until the day they were born. Joy worked and gave to her family and the ranch for the rest of her life. She enjoyed cooking and fixing meals for branding, weaning, and shipping. She was faithful in attending the United Methodist Church, of which she was a lifelong member. She spent hours a day reading her Bible and the Upper Room devotional. She served in the United Methodist Women group and was active in the Republican Party with her husband, Bill. In the 1980’s, she dedicated her time to her kids, taking them to ball practice and many other school events. When they got married and had their own children, she showed the same love and attention to her grandkids. Some of Joy’s final words were how happy she was that her family knew God. To the end, Joy was always praying for others, especially her grandkids. 

Joy was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, William Wilson “Bill” Gallacher, Jr.; her sisters, Patricia Baker, Anita Sparkman, and Lahoma Smoot; her brother, Buster Smoot; her brothers-in-law, Bobby Shafer and Wally Ferguson; and her nieces, Peggy June Smith and Linda Sue Moore. She was also reunited with her sister-in-law, Jane Shafer, who passed away shortly after Joy. She is survived by her children, Debra Kay Gallacher, William Gray (Kellie) Gallacher, and Carol Lynn (Bill) Howard; her grandchildren, Jennifer DawnHoward, Shayna Jaye (Ryan) Best, Kristie Lynn Gallacher, Mary Elizabeth Howard, William Riley Gallacher, and Dustin William Grymko; her sister-in-law, Anne Ferguson; and her nieces and nephews, Cynthia Geiordano, Sharon Byrd, Minette Harper, Lisa (Mike) Shivers, Mary Jane (Jim) Cooper, Matt (Becca) Ferguson, Scott (Rosemary) Shafer, and Billy Bob (Ginger) Shafer. 

A funeral service will be held April 4, 2025 at 10:00 am Carrizozo Community Methodist Church 1000 D Ave. Carrizozo, NM 88301 *Lunch will follow the service. Meat and bread will be provided for the potluck meal. Please feel free to bring your favorite side dish. We would like everyone to come and celebrate Joy’s wonderful life with love and food. Following the potluck, there will be a private family ceremony at Cedarvale Cemetery in White Oaks, NM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church in Carrizozo.