Posted on 06/26/2026 12:57:08 PM PDT by silent_jonny
Announcing the passing of Marvin Howard Galloway—better known to us as MHGinTN—who went home to the Lord in 2023. He was 77.
Special thanks to Bert, who cared enough about his friend to do the detective work, even going as far as contacting Mr. Galloway’s family for more information. As you can see, it took a bit of time. It’s only through his determination that we on FR have this confirmation and closure. Thank you, Bert.
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"For several years, we would meet and have a monthly lunch in East Tennessee. However, those lunches gradually became just Marvin and me. When we became aware that he was no longer posting we tried to learn what had happened.
We found no trace.
We contacted his close relatives, but they chose not to disclose anything to strangers. I am pretty sure I reached his son, and a lady I believe to be his ex-wife, but they too chose not to divulge anything to a stranger.
Marvin lived alone and had very serious health problems.
He had polio. Little by little over time, Marvin lost mobility and needed the use of a wheelchair. He was very strong and somehow could drive, manipulate the wheelchair and get in and out of his car. Even so, that loss of mobility finally prevented him from coming to our monthly lunches.
He began to have vision difficulties. At my urging he visited a large ophthalmology practice. When his nephew became unable to drive him to his scheduled appointment, he called on me to take him. He would not accept any treatment that had any chance of damaging his by now impaired vision. I know he was actually driving with what I considered to be impaired vision.
Perhaps irascible is too strong a word, but he was opposed to help or assistance. He had relatives fairly nearby but I am not certain how well he got along with them. He was strongly, even very strongly, determined to be independent.
He was a Christian man. Although he probably did not attend services, he was very much dedicated to study of not only the Bible but other Christian teachings as well.
He was interested in guns and possessed an amazingly large collection of firearms. As he lost mobility and couldn’t go to the range, he made one at home. He set up some backstop against his garage door and then could fire online of sight from his dining room, across the kitchen, through the garage main door diagonally to the target across the garage. He was extremely proud of his getting around the problem of no longer being able to go to the range.
Marvin had a carry permit and always kept his handgun close by. As a person in a wheelchair, he feared that he was in fact a target for those who are predators on the infirm.
There was never a formal obituary published in the local paper. As I read the grave record, his ashes were scattered at the family cemetery. He was from a prominent family that had extensive land grants dating back to the late 1700’s. His home was on a parcel of that land.
All in all, I miss my friend.”
~ Bert
Ping!
RIP my fellow Tennesseean.
RIP FRiend
RIP MHG. You will be missed. But you’ll never need a wheel chair anymore.
May God rest his soul, and may Christ the King comfort his family.
Prayers up for Marvin and family.
Marvin was an excellent FReeper and FRiend
RIP.
RIP
Add him to the Wall................😥
RIP.
Rest In Peace MHGinTN!
You are very much missed here! Very much.
Prayers up for him and all who were close to him.
Thank you, silent_jonny for posting this.
Amen.
I can't imagine the pain he endured.
Agreed. MHG was one of the good ones.
Working on it ;)
A true friend is worth more than gold in the Big Picture of life.
Rest in Peace Freeper Bert.
Very sorry to hear of his passing. I didn’t know him but I remember having read many of his posts.
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