‘He loved his community’: Friends mourn Sam Galloway Jr.

Many know Sam Galloway Jr. because of his mega-car dealership in Southwest Florida, but he was much more than a businessman.

Galloway died this week at the age of 76.

He leaves behind a legacy of helping people. His passion? Feeding the hungry.

“Our generation was blessed to have Sam Galloway,” said Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann.

Mann grew up sitting down next to Galloway in church. He watched his friend take over the family business and become a selfless man of service.

“When he was bitten by the Christian bug to serve, boy did he serve,” Mann said.

Galloway is perhaps known best for founding the Community Cooperative soup kitchen.

“There’s an awful lot of hungry people, needy people, people without shelter,” Galloway said.

He helped raise millions of dollars to restore the Edison Ford Winter Estates and organized Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing at his church each Christmas.

“He never charged a nickel for anyone to come to those things but he said ‘bring a can of food,’ bless his heart,” Mann said.

Galloway also founded a community cookbook for folks in low-income housing and paid for a memorial for 9/11.

“He bought the very first bulletproof vest for the Fort Myers Police Department,” said Susan Bennett, a 30-year friend to Galloway. “He bought the first jaws of life, most people don’t know that.”

She helped him plan more than 80 of his charitable events.

“He loved this community,” she said. “He never wanted to live anywhere else and I just hope this community understands what a loss it is to not have Sam here.”