Naoma “Rusty” Galles
September 7, 1924 – July 20, 2016
On Wednesday, July 20, 2016, Naoma “Rusty’’ Galles, passed away peacefully in her sleep.
She is survived by her youngest son, Gary, daughter-in-law, Marcia, five grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
Her husband, George, and eldest son, Greg, predeceased her by several years.
At the time of her death, the longtime Olympic Peninsula resident was living near Gary, in Camarillo, California, where she suffered from the cruel disease of Alzheimer’s.
Rusty, as everyone knew her, was born in Parma, Idaho on September 7, 1924.
She grew up on a truck farm, and as a teenager, joined the war effort as soon as she was allowed, working at the top-secret Lockheed Vega plant in the scorching Southern California heat as “Rusty the Riveter,” bucking rivets on the first B-29 bombers. A stint in the U.S. Marines quickly fol- lowed.
After the war, Rusty graduated from the University of Idaho, where she met her future husband, George. She later earned a Master’s degree in physical education from the University of Washington.
In the years following, the family relocated to Port Angeles. After retirement, Rusty and George took up residence in the Sequim-Dungeness area.
Rusty was a well known figure around the Peninsula. She taught many of the girls in town, particularly as a 7th grade physical education teacher at Roosevelt Junior High School. She was the captain of the Port Angeles Blue Angels, a successful women’s fast-pitch softball team.
Later, when she took up golf more seriously, she played in the Women’s National Public Links Tournament fifteen times.
The last was at age 73 (more than three times the age of the tournament winner), with an artificial hip. She was Medalist in 1980. She also played twice in the U S. Senior Women’s Amateur Tournament.
In addition to her sports-related success, Rusty was a traveler and adventurer, including going on one of the first American tour groups to China and hitchhiking with her sister through Spain.
She loved playing with words, from crossword puzzles to puns and poetry. She also took great pleasure in nature, especially walking among flowers and gardens.
A lifelong Catholic, she enjoyed volunteering at her church.
There will be a funeral Mass for Rusty at Saint Joseph’s Parrish, 121 E. Maple St., Sequim, on , July 29, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. She will be buried at Sequim View Cemetery, alongside her beloved husband.
