James Patrick Gallagher, 65, US Air Force Veteran
James Patrick “Pat” Gallagher died unexpectedly Tuesday May 8, 2012 in the emergency room at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain.
Born March 17, 1947, Pat graduated from Lorain High School with the Class of 1966. Pat served in the US Air Force from 1966-1974 serving his tour of duty at Tan Son Nhut Airbase in Viet Nam. After his Honorable Discharge from the Air Force he graduated from Lorain County Community College.
Pat was dedicated and very active in the Charles Berry Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 496 having served in positions of Commander, Vice Commander, and Junior Vice Commander. He was awarded the Lorain Veteran’s Council “Veteran of the Year” in 2004. He was also a member of American Legion Post 30, the DAV, Viet Nam Veteran’s Association and the Lorain City Veteran’s Council and has been the Grand Marshall of the Lorain City Memorial Day Parade for the past 3 years. Pat was an avid reader especially of US history and the Civil War, sometimes having 3-4 books going at a time. Pat was very proud of his Irish heritage and being the firstborn grandson of Irish immigrants and has compiled extensive family genealogy history, he had currently been communicating with relatives in Ireland for more family history.
Preceded in death by parents James and Margaret (McPhillips) Gallagher, sister Suzanne Gallagher Newel, infant brother Joseph Gallagher and nephew Michael Gornall, he is survived by brother Michael (Deanna) Gallagher, sisters Bonnie (Richard) Phillips, Kathleen (Greg) Little, Mary (Dale) Zudell, and Frances (Dan Sudina) Gedeon, 14 nieces and nephews, 16 great nieces and nephews and 1 great-great niece. Pat was often referred to as “The Godfather” because of his love of family.
The family will receive friends Friday 4-8 pm at the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Ave, Lorain. Funeral services will be Saturday at 11:00 am in the funeral chapel with the Rev. John Moldenhauer officiating. The Disabled American Veterans Louis Paul Proy Chapter #20 of Lorain will conduct a prayer service immediately following the funeral service. Cremation will follow and his ashes will be interred at the Ohio Western Reserve Veterans Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio at a later date.
Online condolences can be made at www.gluvna.net