Michael William Gallagher

Michael Gallagher, 58, of Grants Pass died Dec. 25, 2013. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 11th, at Stephens Family Chapel, 1629 Williams Hwy, Grants Pass. Michael was born in 1955 in Bennington, Vt., the second of eight children, to William J. Gallagher, also of Bennington, and Cecile Gallagher of Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada. The senior Gallagher's career in the U.S. Air Force kept the family on the move throughout Michael's childhood, which was spent in England, South Dakota, Vermont, Illinois, New Jersey, and Japan. In high school Michael distinguished himself in both wrestling and football; while still a student, he earned special dispensation to play on the U.S. Marines football team in Misawa, Japan. He graduated from John Marshall High School in San Antonio, Tx. After studies at Stephen F. Austin University and Texas State University, Michael headed west to Oregon, where he eventually began his career in social services. At the time of his early retirement in 2012, he had spent more than a decade in Protective Services with Grants Pass Senior & Disability Services. In 1981 Michael met Gail Logan in Grants Pass. When the couple married in 1985, Michael became stepfather to Gail's sons Todd, Eddie and Doug, and daughter Sassy. The birth of granddaughter Aurianna in 2000 marked the beginning of one of the most cherished relationships of Michael's lifetime. Michael's greatest love was family, and his special joy was gathering around the table: He was a gourmand, an excellent cook himself and a provider of abundant feasts. He was also a welcoming host and a famously generous gift-giver. To his large and geographically dispersed extended family, he was always a reminder of the ties that bind. Michael loved children, and spent Christmases donning a Santa Claus suit (with lovely wife Gail at his side as Santa's Elf), for more than a decade--always donating time to charitable organizations supporting both children in need and the elderly. He spent his final Christmas--and what turned out to be his last day of life--in the company of loved ones; although weakened by his illness, he'd managed one last, lavish Christmas celebration for the children in his life. Michael was a music lover and avid concert-goer (who never missed Tom Petty on a West Coast Tour); he was a discerning sports fan who rooted for the Beavers, the Spurs, the Trailblazers and the 49ers. He loved his adoptive state of Oregon for its natural beauty above all, and spoke with awe of his whale-watching experiences on the Oregon coast. He shared his love with out-of-state visitors, relishing the role of tour guide to the Oregon coast, the Rogue River, and Crater Lake, to name a few of his favorite places. Michael also loved travel and the energy of great cities both near and far: He visited Portland and San Francisco frequently, Austin whenever he was in Texas, and had particular enthusiasm for their unique local food and music cultures. He made it to further-flung destinations, too -- Montreal, Paris, London -- experiencing non-U.S. cultures with equal relish. Always the nostalgic, Michael had plans to travel to Japan in 2014, revisiting people and places from a time in his life that he remembered with great fondness; and to Eastern Canada to reconnect with his French Canadian family and heritage. Michael is survived by wife Gail Gallagher of Grants Pass; mother Cecile Gallagher of San Antonio, Tx.; stepdaughter Sassy Logan of Grants Pass; stepsons Todd Latulip of Colorado Springs, Co., Eddie Latulip and Doug Latulip, both of Grants Pass; brothers John Marc Gallagher of Granada, Nicaragua, Bill Gallagher of Woodburn, Or., and Kevin Gallagher of Dallas, Tx.; sisters Lorraine Gallagher and Carol Gallagher, both of San Antonio, Tx., Teresa Gallagher of Woodburn, Or., and Kathleen Gallagher of Austin, Tx.

Service Information

Saturday, January 11th, 2014 11:00am, Stephens Family Chapel