Galen Seal, Original Foundation Board Member,

Laid to Rest at Miramar National Cemetery

Pallbearers move Colonel Seal’s casket into the memorial shelter.

(Dec. 10, 2019)  Galen E. Seal, Jr., an original member of the Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation, was laid to rest, today, following a family interment service at Miramar National Cemetery.  Seal, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, is buried in Section 15, Grave 74, adjacent to the Flag Assembly area. 

Seal served as chairman of the Support Foundations’ Memorials Committee, coordinating with four veteran’s organizations – the Special Forces Association, Jewish War Veterans, Navy Nurse Corps Association, and the Chosin Few – to place the first commemorative monuments on the cemetery’s Memorial Walk in 2013.  

A U.S. Air Force honor guard fires a rifle salute honoring Colonel Seal.

Born in Topeka, Kan., in 1932, Seal attended Washburn University from 1950 to 1953. Transferring to the University of Colorado, he graduated in 1954 with a BS in Business/Marketing, and was commissioned in the Air Force.  He attended flight school and received his wings in 1955, and was assigned to Ashiya Air Force Base, Japan, where he served as a troop carrier pilot until 1957. He continued serving in the Air Force Reserve for a total of 23 years, retiring as a colonel.

Following his active Air Force service, Seal earned a Master’s Degree in Speech Communications (MS) from the University of Denver.  He has owned and operated several businesses in Colorado and California, including office furniture, office supplies and commercial printing.  

He held offices in the Rotary Club (vice president) the Printing Industry Association (board member), Contract Furnishing Council (president) and served on the boards of the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in addition to the Support Foundation.

Seal was preceded in death by his second wife, Segried; and parents, Gale E. Seal, Sr., and Mildred E. Ticehurst Seal; and his sister, Kay Vacek.  He is survived by his wife, Sharon Shotwell Seal; brother Jon Seal, and sister Marcia Seal; children Mark Seal, Sandie Knox, Julie Leopoldus, Michael Welch, and Lesley Shoplock; 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Support Foundation Chairman Dennis Schoville places a wreath at Colonel Seal’s gravesite – Section 15, Grave 74, adjacent to the Flag Assembly Area.

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By Bill Heard, Public Information Officer MNC Foundation

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