Walter (Bud) Galuza
| Wladislaw Walter (Bud) Galuza | |
| Nationality: |  American (Naturalized)
|
| Born: | May 25, 1908 Vilna, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania) |
| Died: | February 1, 2002 Topsham, Maine |
| Father: | Jeremiah Galuza |
| Mother: | Malwina Mazsimovich |
| Spouse: | Blanche Alice Gagnon |
| Married: | Easter, April 5, 1942 St. Rose of Lima RC Church Livermore Falls, Maine |
| Children: | Judith Ann Galuza (adopted) |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic |
| Residence: | Vilna, Poland Mexico, Maine xx, Maine Brunswick, Maine Topsham, Maine |
| Profession: | Ferrymaster Lumberjack Custodian |
Contents
Bud's Childhood
On May 25, 1908 Vladislaw Galuza (a.k.a. Walter “Bud”) was born in Vilna which was a part of Poland at that time. However, the town is now called Vilnius and is part of Lithuania. His mother’s name was Malwiina Mazsimovich and his father’s name was Jeremiah Galuza.
Jeremiah had heard of opportunities in the United States, where many jobs could be had. Several people from his town in Poland had settled in a place called Mexico, Maine which was located on the Swift River and the Androscoggin River. At the time, the town had a paper mill and a brick mill always looking for hard-working employees to support their corporate growth objectives. Mexico, Maine was attracting many families from the same area in Poland, people who already knew each other, thereby reducing the anxiety of relocating half a world away and learning a new language, too. Jeremiah set out for Mexico, Maine sometime after 1908.
By the summer of 1913, Jeremiah had sent for his wife and children. When Bud was 5 years old, he, his mother and three other siblings emigrated to the United States. They left from Riga, Latvia on a freighter called the BREMEN or the BIRMA (the discrepancy may be a case of translation). When recounting the story as an adult later, he said it took 16 days and 16 nights to cross the ocean. It must have been quite a voyage! A freighter, not a luxury passenger liner, so the conditions must have been difficult. We do not have any information how they were fed or housed during the trip. Eventually, they reached the U.S. and were processed at Ellis Island, NY, and then they joined Jeremiah in Mexico, Maine, in whatever housing he had prepared for them.
Bud was eventually one of nine children, the rest of whom were born here in the United States. Bud was very close to his siblings. At some point, Jeremiah and Malwina became citizens of the United States, granting citizenship the same time at to all of their children not born in the United States.
Bud Buys a Ferry
Bud was a very smart man, but we are not sure why he elected not to complete more than one year of high school. Certainly, English was a second language for him, which could have held him back from completing grades at a normal age. But also, coming from a large family, by the time he reached the age of 18, he may have felt the need to help support the family.
Bud grew into an extremely handsome man, possessing a rich, deep voice, and his trademark pencil thin moustache. At one point, he was presented with an opportunity to purchase a ferry for $1.00, which he immediately seized. He operated the ferry for several years, carrying people, cars, and bicycles back and forth across the Androscoggin and Swift rivers, industriously saving his money for a future he had not yet mapped out.
Blanche and Bud
Claudia, Bud's younger sister, went to work in Boston some time between 1934 and 1941. It was during this time that she became good friends with Blanche Alice Gagnon. Knowing her brother Bud as she did, Claudia thought the two would make a fine pair, so on one of their weekends home in late 1941, Claudia made sure that Blanche managed to meet her brother Bud. They hit it off immediately, because it was a short courtship. And apparently, the eleven year age difference between them was not an issue either.
It is a commonly known fact among Catholics that no weddings can be performed during Lent. This did not delay the engagement. The wedding was quickly planned, and since Bud's older brothers were not available for some reason, Blanche's brothers Bill and Albert were pressed into Best Man and Usher service. Bud and Blanche were married at the earliest moment after Lent (on Easter itself!).
- Click on the photos below to view a larger image:
Bud and Blanche, Easter, 1942.
Albert and Wendy the Bridesmaid.
Bud and Blanche, with Bud's mother, Milvina on the left, and Rosa on the right.
Bud Joins the Army
Merely 6 months after marrying, and certainly after discussing it with Blanche, Bud presented himself to the Army Recruiter in Portland, Maine, and enlisted. Now Bud and Blanche understood the consequences of this decision, since both Bill and Albert had already left for the war. Despite his marital status and age (34), he was accepted into the Army, and almost immediately shipped out to the European theater, in Italy.
Blanche spent the war years living in their apartment in Brunswick, Maine working as a riveter at Bath Iron Works. Bud spent the war years in both Italy and in Northern Africa. Thankfully, he came home safely right around Christmas day in 1945, just about the same time as Bill and Albert did, much to the relief of Blanche and the entire family.
After the War
After Bud came home, Blanche and Bud concentrated their efforts at starting a family. They tried unsuccessfully for many years. During the course of trying, they purchased the house at 13 Hennessey Ave. in Brunswick, a large, 4 bedroom home, with a nice yard. It was a huge disappointment to both of them, who loved children. Finally, in 1950, they became aware of a baby being made available for adoption, and they leapt at the chance. They were thrilled to bring home a beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed baby girl that they named Judith Ann, who was only a few months old.
Items to Add
Irene & Al visiting in Maine, Blanche went to work, Blanche left the food for Mom to cook, Bud was a lumberjack, he said where’s the rest of it, as soon as Blanche came home from work, he said make me some supper. Meal for Bud – fried fish, potatoes, vegetable
'62Trip to Italy with Rocky & Claudia, saw Pope, lost luggage Generosity Sundays in Livermore Falls come hell or high water Clam bake at Galuza's Rocky & Claudia Always the life of the party Dinner at Blanche's, kids table we had to sneak into Brunswick or upset Memere and incur her wrath Judy as a model Bud against women's lib Life goal - wanted to see millennium change - accomplished that gave boys rides on the lumberjack truck - NO girls, not even Judy good food, simple food moustache big laugh looked like Albert knew the Muskie family - would have been invited to the inaugural if he'd been elected always drove a Buick Aunt Blanche's favorite color Blue Only 3 blue-eyed kids Blanche, Ritaby, Bobby - they lived longest Most often selected Godparents in the family
