Gala Jayne Byrum was born to Jean (dec’d 2019) and Galen (dec’d 2016) Lahman of Blunt South Dakota in 1958. She was the oldest of four siblings, Valauri (dec’d 1973), Angela, and Chad. Gala’s three children, Joshua, Nathan, and Nicole gave her six beautiful grandchildren, Elijah, Ethan, Sydney, Sawyer, Stormy, and Otto, and three great-grandchildren, Briar (dec’d 2018), Nora, and Honey.

Gala will be laid to rest with her parents and sister Val at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Blunt on Saturday, March 5th following a 10:30 a.m. Service celebrating her life, to be held at the Oahe Presbyterian Church in Pierre.

There are no words for the profound level of sadness that Gala’s untimely death has brought to her circle of friends and loved ones. Gala was a servant and student of Christ who brought the light of everlasting love and the message of salvation to countless lives. She found her spiritual home and the overwhelming presence of God at the Harvest Church in Thornton, Colorado where she enjoyed once in a lifetime relationships with an exceptional group of believers. Gala was passionate about the Messianic faith and reveled in practicing Old Testament traditions, including following the Hebrew calendar’s many celebrations and feasts. Gala was a vibrant woman of God, who prayed continuously that His will be done. Sadly for us is the realization that His will does not bend to the fickle desires of our worldly existence. The unquestionable fact that she was ready to join her Lord in heaven doesn’t seem to make it any easier for those of us left here on this earth with our hearts wrecked and broken.

Gala was an exceptionally talented pianist. She attended Simpson College in San Francisco California where she studied classical piano. Her three children remember fondly the countless hours she spent practicing and playing on her prized grand piano. That very same grand piano sits in her home today. After forty years and more than twenty household moves, she had finally found the last home that would echo with the sound of the elegant melody that only she and her grand could create.

Gala was devoted to her family, in fact, she purchased a home just 8 blocks from her daughter, where it was not uncommon to find her at bedtime reading the Chronicles of Narnia to her grandson. After so many years of moving, collecting, and storing belongings, there was literally nothing that she couldn’t provide if needed. Bundt cake pan or socket set, chances were, Mom had one somewhere.

The last few months of Gala’s life were the happiest she has ever known. With her children all settled and successful in their chosen paths, she was living her own best life. She split time between Sioux Falls and her second home in Alaska and relished the time spent there experiencing new and exhilarating adventures. She was in awe of the beauty and splendor of the final frontier state, particularly the stunningly vibrant colors created by the sun on the rugged terrain when there was frost, snow or ice. The last day before she returned to the lower forty-eight for the final time, she was ecstatic to come across a moose cow and calf travelling just yards from the road. These are the things that brought her joy, and she was overflowing with that same joy up until her final moment on this earth.

As we prepare to lay her to rest it is worth noting that her recent, shocking transition from earthly life to eternal life happened in an instant. She went from being the happiest she has ever been in this life to the happiest she could ever possibly be in the next.

Gala was known to be frugal in her finances, but she spent lavishly the things of true worth. Her love, support, affection and energy were spent wisely; given freely and abundantly to those of us blessed to be in her life. Gala’s light will never be dimmed, never be extinguished, the only thing that has changed is that instead of looking around for her now, we will look up.

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