Nola Galluch has been described as having a big personality. “She had this big bravery to do what others wouldn’t even think of trying, a strong perseverance despite many odds and barriers against her along the way, and a big, nonjudgmental love for people,” said one of her brothers.
Nola, 76, died May 10 from pancreatic cancer.
After graduating from Calvin College (now University) in 1971 with a degree in history, Nola was awarded a full-ride scholarship toward a doctorate in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Chicago. This was extremely rare for a woman in the 1970s. After realizing this was not her true calling, Nola was one of the first women to enroll at Calvin Theological Seminary, which she attended on a part-time basis while also working as a Bible reference book editor.
In 1973 Nola was a founding member of Church of the Servant in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Throughout much of the ’70s, Nola traveled and taught internationally, doing mission work in Mexico, working on an archeological dig in Jordan, teaching for a year each at seminaries in the Philippines and in Nigeria.
Nola graduated from Calvin seminary in 1979 with a Master of Divinity. She later also obtained a Master of Social Work at Western Michigan University. She worked as a counselor for Montcalm County, Mich., and the Christian Counseling Center, Grand Rapids, Mich. She was formally ordained in the Christian Reformed Church in 2003.
Nola loved classical music and was an accomplished pianist and devotee of the works of Leonard Bernstein.
She is survived by Vince, her husband of 37 years; a daughter; a step-daughter; and two grandchildren.
About the Author
A former nurse and chaplain, Janet Greidanus is a freelance news correspondent and long-time writer of the In Memoriam column for The Banner.