Daniel J. Galate

   Mr. Daniel J. Galate,96, of West Orange and Marco Island passed away March 13th of natural causes.

  Visiting will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2016 from 4 to 8 PM at The Dangler Funeral Home of West Orange, 340 Main Street in West Orange.

  A 9:30 AM Funeral Mass will be offered on Friday, March 18, 2016 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 1 Eagle Rock Ave., West Orange.  Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover. Letters of condolence may be posted at danglerfuneralhome.com.

   The son of Mr. and Mrs. Angelo Galati, he grew up in Union and graduated Union High School. Mr. Galate began Newark College of Engineering, transferred to TriState University and graduated with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering.

    He entered the Army Air Corps in 1941 and was deployed to the South Pacific island base of New Caledonia as part of the 13the Air Depot Group until 1946. He achieved the rank of Captain. His decorations include the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.

  During that time he met and married 2nd Lt. Helen “Kris” Krenzel RN also stationed on New Caledonia. In April 2014 they celebrated 70 years of marriage with their seventeen children.

   After the service Mr. and Mrs. Galate settled in West Orange. He began a 31 year career with Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) as a sales engineer. Mr. Galate attended the Harvard University Management Studies Program. He became the East Coast Troubleshooter for ARCO. After retiring, his distinguished career led BP to hire him as consultant. He is listed in Who’s Who in Executive and Professionals (1994).

   Mr. and Mrs. Galate belonged to the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes where he was a trustee and a member of the Holy Name Society. In 1994 he was awarded the Jubilee Medal Pro Meritas, an ecclesiastical honor for 25 years of continuous service to Our Lady of Lourdes and the Archdiocese of Newark. Later he was given the Marnell Award for lifetime achievement to the parish.

   His civic responsibilities were recognized by the Township of West Orange who awarded him a Certificate of Recognition in 1987 for his years on and as chair of the Planning Board (1966-1975) and subsequent years on the Zoning Board ending in 1987. He and his wife served as Republican County Committeemen . Both were notary public.

    Mr. Galate was an adviser and member of many committees at Mount Saint Dominic Academy, where he and his wife were involved in the activities of their eight daughters who graduated from the Mount. Mr. Galate was an avid supporter of Seton Hall swimming and WO Mountain High wrestling where his sons dominated the team.

  Mr. Galate was an exceptional golfer achieving a hole-in-one par 3 in 1994. He shared his love of boating and fishing with his family aboard Daniel’s Folly IV out of Leonardo State Marina/Sandy Hook and summers on Bertrand’s Island, Lake Hopactong.

   Mr. Galate is survived by his sister, Mrs. Genevieve Beninati, and his 17 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; Linda Sue Galate; Daniel and Bernadine Galate and granddaughter Julia; Cynthia Galate and granddaughter Tippy and David Neff, great-grandsons Jason and Thomas; Aleta Elliott; Damien Galate; Darius Galate, Gina Galate; Dean Galate; Carla and Steve Hartwyk and grandchildren Ashley, Gabrielle, Andrew; Elissa DiPano and granddaughter Kristina; Marita and Eddie Vanderhoof and grandson Jake Zahn; Dwight Galate; Duane and Marie Galate; Dorian and Dr. Renee Arace Galate; Douglas and Vanessa Galate and grandsons Douglas and Daniel; David Galate; Nita Galate and Peter Goodman as well as numerous cousins of the Galati family.