Ordice Alton Gallups, Jr., who was a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, passed away March 14. He is survived by his devoted wife of 43 years, Vivian B. Gallups, his nieces and nephews Brandon R. (Sarah F.) Gallups, Dr. Michael V. (Julie M.) Bess, Valery M. Bess, Christopher M. (Emily A. Goodin) Bess, Shelley M. Bess, Jeffery N. Bess, and Austin K. Bess as well as a host of grandnieces and grandnephews.
Mr. Gallups was born in Bessemer, Alabama, June 17, 1954. He is predeceased by his parents, Ordice Alton Gallups, Sr., and Margaret E. Fleming, and his brother, Robert E. Gallups. His education included a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a Master of Arts in Religion degree from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and a Master of Theological Studies from Spring Hill College (the Jesuit College of the South). Mr. Gallups served the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary for 19 years in various capacities. His most recent was as an Auxiliary Suicide Intervention Instructor. He, also, had served in the Incident Management and Cross Contingency Division and was a member of the Board of Control for Coast Guard Mutual Assistance for three years.
Mr. Gallups’ devotion to the church and Jesus Christ was demonstrated by his work with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Columbia, South Carolina, as Pastoral Assistant at Shades Valley Evangelical Lutheran Church in Birmingham, Alabama, Verger of the Cathedral and Minor Canon at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama, as Diaconal Assistant at Shades Valley Evangelical Lutheran Church in Birmingham, Alabama, as Consecrated Diaconal Minister at All Saints Lutheran Church in Bowie, Maryland, as Priest in the Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church, and as Parish Locum Tenens at St. John’s Anglican Church in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. In 2018, Mr. Gallups made a profession of Roman Catholic Faith and became a member of St. Luke’s Catholic Church, a parish of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter, a regional non-territorial diocesan structure created for Anglicans who have entered into communion with the See of Peter. His words to live by were lex orandi, lex credendi – the rule of prayer [is] the rule of belief.
Services are as follows:
Wake, April 8, 2019, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jesus the Good Shepherd Church, 1601 W. Mt. Harmony Rd. Owings, MD
Funeral, April 9, 2019, at 2 p.m. St. Luke’s at Immaculate Conception, 1317 Eighth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
Burial (internment), April 10, 2019, at 11 a.m. Jesus the Good Shepherd (as above)
Military members (including active, reserves, and veterans) and members of the USCG Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, etc. are invited to wear their equivalent Dress Uniform.
