1932
Joseph
2017
Joseph Gallagher
August 21, 1932 — October 20, 2017
Joseph (Joe) Gallagher, 85, formerly of Havertown, Pennsylvania, passed away on October 20, 2017 at home surrounded by his loved ones in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. Joe is survived by his loving wife, Mary (McFadden) Gallagher, his daughter Anna Marie Gallagher (Juan Luis Guillen), Joseph Gallagher (Noreen Shovlin) and Patrick Gallagher (Nicole Nye), eight grandchildren (Anthony, Jairo, Brendan, Tommy, Joseph, Julia, Patrick, Samuel) and five great-grandchildren (Janna, Jaxson, Jack, Julian, Maeve).
Joe was the last of seven children born to Anton and Annie (Mc Daid) Gallagher in Terhillion, Termon, County Donegal, Ireland and was the last surviving sibling. He had four sisters (Mary (Mia), Katherine (Katie), Bridget (Bea) and Nora) and two brothers (Tony and James). Joe was the only one of his family to immigrate to North America. While all of them with the exception of Mia immigrated to the United Kingdom, he immigrated to Canada where he worked for one year before moving to Philadelphia where he had family who had immigrated a generation earlier. He was welcomed by aunts, uncles and cousins.
Joe worked in the construction business his whole life and was a proud member of the International Operating Engineers Local 542 which he joined in 1958. His sons Joe and Pat and several grandsons followed him in the field. Joe also served proudly in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956 in Alaska. He often said that his military service was one of the best experiences in his life -- teaching him to learn from, respect and get along with all types of people.
While he had only studied for eight years at the Termon National School, he was a smart man and eager to learn. He was an avid reader and always had a book near by. In his later years, his son Pat introduced him to the Nook which he used until weeks before his death. During the time that his daughter Anna was at Temple University studying political science, he became interested in her studies and read many of her books relating to Central America.
Joe was always willing to try new things. In his mid-40s, he learned to downhill ski. He and May had a home in the Pocono Mountains for many years after their children were grown and the grandchildren began to arrive. During those years, he taught all of his grandchildren how to ski. Joe skied until he was 70 when he and May then moved on to their next adventure.
After his retirement in 2002, Joe and May returned to County Donegal, Ireland where they had built a home in his townland of Terhillion. During his time in Ireland, Joe also renovated the old house where he was born -- a field away from the new house that he had built. He and his beloved May returned to the United States in 2013 and lived happily next to their son Joe and his wife Noreen.
Relatives and friends are invited to his Greeting 9:30-10:50 AM Friday, October 27, 2017 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church,105 Wilson Avenue, Havertown, PA 19082, followed by his Funeral Service at 11:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to St. Frances de Sales School, 917 S. 47th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143, www.desalesschool.net, would be appreciated.
For Grief
BY JOHN O'DONOHUE
When you lose someone you love,
Your life becomes strange,
The ground beneath you becomes fragile,
Your thoughts make your eyes unsure;
And some dead echo drags your voice down
Where words have no confidence
Your heart has grown heavy with loss;
And though this loss has wounded others too,
No one knows what has been taken from you
When the silence of absence deepens.
Flickers of guilt kindle regret
For all that was left unsaid or undone.
There are days when you wake up happy;
Again inside the fullness of life,
Until the moment breaks
And you are thrown back
Onto the black tide of loss.
Days when you have your heart back,
You are able to function well
Until in the middle of work or encounter,
Suddenly with no warning,
You are ambushed by grief.
It becomes hard to trust yourself.
All you can depend on now is that
Sorrow will remain faithful to itself.
More than you, it knows its way
And will find the right time
To pull and pull the rope of grief
Until that coiled hill of tears
Has reduced to its last drop.
Beannacht
BY JOHN O'DONOHUE,
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.
And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The grey window
And the ghost of loss
Gets into you,
May a flock of colours,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
In the currach of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.
Joe was the last of seven children born to Anton and Annie (Mc Daid) Gallagher in Terhillion, Termon, County Donegal, Ireland and was the last surviving sibling. He had four sisters (Mary (Mia), Katherine (Katie), Bridget (Bea) and Nora) and two brothers (Tony and James). Joe was the only one of his family to immigrate to North America. While all of them with the exception of Mia immigrated to the United Kingdom, he immigrated to Canada where he worked for one year before moving to Philadelphia where he had family who had immigrated a generation earlier. He was welcomed by aunts, uncles and cousins.
Joe worked in the construction business his whole life and was a proud member of the International Operating Engineers Local 542 which he joined in 1958. His sons Joe and Pat and several grandsons followed him in the field. Joe also served proudly in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956 in Alaska. He often said that his military service was one of the best experiences in his life -- teaching him to learn from, respect and get along with all types of people.
While he had only studied for eight years at the Termon National School, he was a smart man and eager to learn. He was an avid reader and always had a book near by. In his later years, his son Pat introduced him to the Nook which he used until weeks before his death. During the time that his daughter Anna was at Temple University studying political science, he became interested in her studies and read many of her books relating to Central America.
Joe was always willing to try new things. In his mid-40s, he learned to downhill ski. He and May had a home in the Pocono Mountains for many years after their children were grown and the grandchildren began to arrive. During those years, he taught all of his grandchildren how to ski. Joe skied until he was 70 when he and May then moved on to their next adventure.
After his retirement in 2002, Joe and May returned to County Donegal, Ireland where they had built a home in his townland of Terhillion. During his time in Ireland, Joe also renovated the old house where he was born -- a field away from the new house that he had built. He and his beloved May returned to the United States in 2013 and lived happily next to their son Joe and his wife Noreen.
Relatives and friends are invited to his Greeting 9:30-10:50 AM Friday, October 27, 2017 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church,105 Wilson Avenue, Havertown, PA 19082, followed by his Funeral Service at 11:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to St. Frances de Sales School, 917 S. 47th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143, www.desalesschool.net, would be appreciated.
For Grief
BY JOHN O'DONOHUE
When you lose someone you love,
Your life becomes strange,
The ground beneath you becomes fragile,
Your thoughts make your eyes unsure;
And some dead echo drags your voice down
Where words have no confidence
Your heart has grown heavy with loss;
And though this loss has wounded others too,
No one knows what has been taken from you
When the silence of absence deepens.
Flickers of guilt kindle regret
For all that was left unsaid or undone.
There are days when you wake up happy;
Again inside the fullness of life,
Until the moment breaks
And you are thrown back
Onto the black tide of loss.
Days when you have your heart back,
You are able to function well
Until in the middle of work or encounter,
Suddenly with no warning,
You are ambushed by grief.
It becomes hard to trust yourself.
All you can depend on now is that
Sorrow will remain faithful to itself.
More than you, it knows its way
And will find the right time
To pull and pull the rope of grief
Until that coiled hill of tears
Has reduced to its last drop.
Beannacht
BY JOHN O'DONOHUE,
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.
And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The grey window
And the ghost of loss
Gets into you,
May a flock of colours,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
In the currach of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.
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