Howard Gallensky

Howard David Gallensky, 95, of Cheyenne Wyoming died on Tuesday, February 18 at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center following a brief illness.

He leaves his wife of 61 years, Lila (Helfand) Gallensky; his son Neil (Alison) Gallensky of Westminster Colorado; his daughter Lisa (Ron) Sherman of Denver; and his grandson Eric Sherman of Denver.

Born in Norfolk, Nebraska, Howard and his family lived in Nebraska and New York before settling in Laramie, Wyoming.  Howard graduated from Laramie High School in 1942 and began studies in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wyoming, before being drafted for service by the Army Air Corps in 1943.  He served during World War II in both stateside and overseas postings over the next three years, culminating in a tour of duty in the South Pacific, including time at both Iwo Jima and Saipan.  Following the conclusion of his honorable service to his country, Howard returned to Laramie and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wyoming in 1948.

Howard accepted employment at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, initially as an electronics instructor, and he advanced to become a senior instructor and course writer.  He then became a base Mechanical Engineer, and eventually was promoted to Chief Engineer for the base.  He retired from this position after 33 years of government service.  Following his retirement, Howard began a second career, teaching algebra and electronics courses part-time at Laramie County Community College.

In 1958, Howard married Lila Helfand in Cheyenne.  His two children, Neil and Lisa were raised in Cheyenne and now live in the Denver area with their families.

Howard was a Registered Professional Engineer in both Wyoming and Massachusetts. He was proud to be a member of several fraternal organizations and social clubs, including the Masons, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion.  He loved living in Wyoming and could often be found fishing in solitude near a quiet trout stream in the mountains surrounding Laramie.

Volunteering was also important to Howard, and he served in many key roles at Mount Sinai Congregation in Cheyenne, including membership on the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.  He served selflessly as President of the congregation for 17 years.

A memorial service for Howard will be conducted on Thursday, February 20 at 10:00 am at Mount Sinai Congregation, 2610 Pioneer Avenue in Cheyenne.  Interment will occur at Cheyenne Jewish Cemetery immediately following the memorial service.  In lieu of flowers, contributions to Mount Sinai Congregation at https://www.mtsinaicheyenne.org or charity of choice are encouraged.