Galen E. Trimbath

Galen E. Trimbath, 97, of St. Paul, died Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, at Brookefield Park in St Paul.
To honor his wishes, no public service are planned. A private burial will take place in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul at a later date.
If you wish to send a memorial, please send donation to the World Wildlife Fund ( worldwildlife.org ) in Galen's name.
Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul is assisting the family. Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.jacobsengreenway.com.
Galen Earl Trimbath was born Nov. 20, 1924, Clyde Vernon Trimbath and Ina Lynn Eichenour in Bullskin Township in Fayette County, Pa. He grew up in Uniontown, Pa., and Exeter and St. Paul, Neb. He graduated from St. Paul High School.
Galen joined the U.S. Navy at age 19 in 1943 and was sent to Farragut, Idaho, for training. He later moved to Moscow, Idaho, to learn radio and Morse code. He was then chosen to go to New London, Conn., for submarine training. Upon graduation, he boarded ship to Pearl Harbor on a submarine tender. The tender berthed in Perth, Australia. Later, he transferred to the U.S.S. Cobia, operating in the South Pacific.
After being discharged from the Navy, Galen married Joan Sarah Polansky and relocated to Omaha, and Denver, Colo., before moving to Hollywood, Calif. They then moved to St. Paul, where he farmed for seven years. He then joined the U.S. Border Patrol in Calexico, Calif., then Rouse's Point, N.Y., for seven years. He transferred to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and served as Supervisory Deportation officer in San Francisco for 17 years and retired in 1982, when he moved back to St. Paul.
Galen was an avid reader and history buff and enjoyed travel, including his international trips while employed by the government. He loved their many pets and enjoyed gardening, weaving and candy making.
He was president of the Howard County Historical Society for several years and worked on the restoration of the Gruber House in St. Paul. He also served on the St. Paul City Council. He was a Masonic Lodge member and a Shriner, as well as belonging to the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was also an Admiral of the Navy of the State of Nebraska. After his retirement, he enjoyed attending many reunions of the U.S.S. Cobia in Wisconsin.
In 2005, Galen was interviewed about his Navy tenure for the online Veterans History Project. See: http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.33411/
Galen is survived by his son, Galen (John) of New York City and Maine; a sister-in-law, Harriet Polansky of Santa Rosa, Calif.; a nephew, Michael Peterson of Santa Rosa; a grand-nephew, Michael of Santa Rosa; a grand-niece, Amy Little of Berlin, Germany; and two nieces, Barbara Gulizia and Julie Sandiland of Omaha.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan; his parents, two brothers, James and William; a sister, Irene; and his beloved white boxer, Rocky.