Anita (Wirz) Galer, 92, of The Villages, FL, died on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at a local rehabilitation facility after a battle with liver cancer.
A celebration of her life for family and friends was held on Sunday, Jan. 25, at Freedom Pointe in The Villages, FL, where she lived for many years with her husband, Gilbert. Mrs. Galer will be buried at sea, as was her husband.
Mrs. Galer was born on May 7, 1933, in Basel, Switzerland to Gottfried and Elisabetha (Maus) Wirz. She eloped with Gilbert Galer on Jan. 20, 1963, in Santa Barbara, CA. The couple later held a religious wedding ceremony at a cathedral in Basel, Switzerland on Aug. 31, 1963, with the bride’s family and friends in attendance. Mr. Galer preceded her in death on Sept. 13, 2015.
Mrs. Galer attended elementary school and high school in Switzerland, where her classrooms overlooked Lake Geneva, and her childhood was filled with mountain hiking and downhill skiing. She studied to become a legal assistant, but her adventures took her to be an au pair and teach English to the children of a wealthy family in Mexico City, Mexico. Mrs. Galer left for a legal assistant job with Western Airlines in California, where she met her husband. Her husband’s job allowed the couple to travel the world.
The couple eventually moved to Connecticut when Mr. Galer took a job with Airbus Industries in New York. He took the train to the city for work, and Mrs. Galer volunteered her time teaching English to immigrants.
When the couple retired, they bought a nearby restaurant and gift shop, which they ran for many years. They later sold the restaurant and retired to The Villages, FL, enjoying many activities with friends. She enjoyed crocheting hats for babies in the hospital and organized the Dine Around groups.
Mrs. Galer was a cherished friend and will be missed by many.
Mrs. Galer is survived by her sister-in-law, Janice Galer, of Hillsboro; nieces and nephews, John (Susie) Galer of Hillsboro, Anne (Ralph) McLaughlin of Hillsboro, Guy (Kari) Galer of San Jose, CA, Troy (Chari) Galer of Ft. Worth, TX, Todd (Tanya) Galer of Naperville, IL, Lesley (Travis) Warmouth of Gilbert, AZ, and Dru (Lana) Galer of Ft. Worth, TX; as well as many great-nieces and great-nephews.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her in-laws, Delford and Pauline Galer, brothers-in-law, Phillip Galer and Douglas Galer; and sister-in-law, Nancy Galer.
