Obituary of David Allen Gale

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) David Allen Gale, 49, of Tampa, FL, went home to be with the Lord on April 14, 2019.  He was a beloved husband, father, brother-in-arms and friend.  David is survived by his loving wife, Allison McInnis-Gale; son, William Gale; daughter, Victoria Gale; step-sons, Tyler and Hunter Gimbert; sister, Jennifer Gale; niece, Caitlyn Gale; brother-in-law, Nolan McInnis; mother-in-law, Victoria McInnis; various cousins & dear friends.

David was born July 2, 1969 in Park Ridge, Illinois and grew up in Addison, Illinois.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) David Gale graduated from Purdue University with his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, as well as a Master of Science degree in industrial technology. Later, David attended Squadron Officer School & Air Command and Staff College and obtained his second Master’s degree.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) David Gale entered the Air Force in 1995, serving over 21 years, until his retirement in 2016. Over his stellar military career, Lt. Col. (Ret.) David Gale lived in various states, and lived abroad in Germany until he came to U.S. Central Command in 2012 -- where he assumed duty as Chief, Command Records Branch, Resources and Analysis Division, Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Systems Directorate. Over the course of Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gale’s distinguished and accomplished military career, he served in various base-level flight commander, executive officer, and commander positions, and in various staff officer positions at the numbered air force, major command, and combatant command levels.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) David Gale earned various personal, unit, service and campaign awards, including: Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and Air Force Achievement Medal.

David enjoyed spending time with his family, and training his faithful dog, Zay.  He enjoyed many outdoor activities, such as running, hiking, and biking. David was a member of Faith Outreach Center, was a published author, avid reader, gun enthusiast, expert marksman, and member of the NRA. He was also a proud member of his Sigma Pi Fraternity. David thoroughly enjoyed working on his Corvette, his beloved Model A, building model airplanes, and watching his favorite sports teams play: the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, and the Purdue Boilermakers.

A Celebration of Life service to honor David’s life will take place on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 6 p.m. at Faith Outreach Center – 7607 Sheldon Road, Tampa, FL 33615.  The service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend the service. Lt. Col. Gale will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

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