Howard Gallup, (1927-2020) was born in New London, Connecticut and grew up in Newark, New Jersey, which might account for his zestful, do-it-yourself approach to so much in his life. His father, Wallace Gallup, a Presbyterian minister, passed on to Howard his attentiveness to his low-income parishioners and to the general need for equal rights for minorities. Howard’s mother was Edna Eudora Ketcham Gallup. Howard had one older sister, Edith Specht, who predeceased him. Howard enlisted in the Navy just at the end of World War II. Trained in airplane mechanics, he maintained the Navy’s aircraft.
Howard, who loved learning, attended Rutgers University as an undergraduate. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. A dedicated student, Howard was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa society.
Howard first taught at Hobart College. In 1958, he became a professor at Lafayette College in Easton PA, where he taught experimental psychology for 37 years. He retired from his post as Chair of the Psychology Department at Lafayette in 1995. During the 1970’s, he was a visiting professor at Hampshire College in MA, and at Evergreen State College, WA.
During his academic career, Howard wrote a well-received and popular textbook for undergraduate psychology students, An Invitation to Modern Psychology (1969). Fascinated by theories of teaching, while teaching at Lafayette College he promoted a type of self-paced learning called the Keller Plan of Personalized Learning Instruction (PSI).
Howard met the love of his life, Frances (Kris) Platt, on a blind date. When he brought her back to her family’s home after their second date, he saw the Gilbert and Sullivan score for Pirates of Penzance on their piano. Having recently performed the lead role, Howard began to play and sing the score. His passion for music enchanted Kris, and he was equally thrilled that she also entertained a love for music. They fell in love on the spot, he used to say, and were married in 1949.
Kris Platt Gallup was a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Howard joined the Society of Friends, an affiliation he maintained for the rest of his life. Howard and Kris Gallup were married for over 70 years, until her death in January 2020. They had three loving children and in-laws, Joshua, his wife Josie, Brad, his wife Lei, and Sharrene, who predeceased her father. He had three grandsons, one step-grandson, four great granddaughters and a great grandson. Howard had many nieces and nephews: his sister Edith’s three children, as well as Kris’s sister, Helen’s seven children. Carol Hollingsworth Gruenburg, and her husband Drew unfailingly drove north from Virginia to visit Howard and Kris at least once a month until stopped by the spread of Coronavirus.
Howard maintained a renaissance passion for many fields. He was an avid classical pianist; Chopin was his most beloved composer. He ran a music concert series at Kirkland Village, where he and Kris lived in their retirement. Howard gave his own classical piano concerts for the residents and frequently played popular tunes at Kirkland’s Happy Hour.
His love of bicycling and mechanics led Howard to work for Tomias Hinchcliff at Genesis Bicycles, a store he cofounded in 1974. At the shop, Howard worked there for many years, repairing bikes and leading 100-mile bicycle rides for the surrounding community. He logged in over 85,000 personal miles.
In addition to bicycling, Howard loved photography. He and Kris took yearly road trips across the United States to visit their sons in California. Howard was proud of visiting, photographing, and bicycling in each of the lower 48 States, and in Canada, too, but he always said Yosemite was his favorite spot to visit.
His Quaker commitment led him to become a draft counselor in Easton PA, during the Vietnam War. Committed to civil rights, Howard helped integrate housing in Easton during the Civil Rights Era.
In 1968, Howard helped found ProJeCt of Easton after Dr. King’s assassination, as part of an interfaith effort. It is a four star rated charity that helps low-income and at risk youth and adults break the cycle of poverty.
In lieu of flowers, Howard asked those wishing to make a donation to please donate to ProJeCt of Easton
ProJeCt of Easton
320 Ferry Street
Easton, PA 18042
Phone: 610-258-4361
jrzeszowski@projecteaston.org
Howard died of Covid-19 in December 2020. In his memory please help stop the spread of Covid by wearing a mask and taking proper precautions.
