A lens on the life of Gale Howard Qualls, age 84. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 20 at 2:22 a.m. at his home. He was afflicted by Parkinson’s disease and cancer.

Gale was born on January 4, 1938, in Melrose Park, IL. His family moved to Willard, WI in 1952, and he graduated from Greenwood High School in Greenwood, WI in 1956.

He married Isabel “Dolly” Urbanz on November 30, 1963 in Greenwood, WI following the JFK assassination. They celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary in 2021.

After several years, he joined the US Airforce in 1959 and served for 4 years, part of which was in Alaska. His skill was in Radar Maintenance.

After he was honorably discharged, he started college at UW-River Falls while being employed at 3M. At 3M he was in accounting or the “bean counter”, as he would say. He retired in 1998 from 3M.

In 1969, Gale and Dolly purchased a farm outside of Hudson, WI where they raised registered Simmental cattle which they sold to many people. Many children raised champion fair steers from their herd. Gale was instrumental in creating a computer program for the St. Croix Valley Bull Test Station, which is still being used in River Falls and Platteville, WI. Gale was a member of several livestock boards.

Gale and Dolly were instrumental in creating the Pharmaceutical Drug Take Back program which is used nationally. Besides farming and cattle, his hobbies included photography which he has over 33,000 images on his computer.

Gale was very community minded as he served as a plan commission and Hudson Town Board member for many, many years.
He is survived by his wife Dolly, many nieces and nephews with a special niece Carmella Lindner. He was preceded in death by his parents Elmo and Thelma Qualls; and brothers-in-law Frank Urbanz Jr and Emil Plautz.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home in Hudson, WI from 2:00 – 5:00.

Interment will be held in the summer at the Willard National Cemetery in Willard, WI.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Gale’s name can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. To donate click here.