James William Gallagher, of Jersey Shore, passed away peacefully at 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2021.
Born on Nov. 19, 1930 in Dushore, Sullivan County, to Mark and Josephine (Cox) Gallagher, Jim was the youngest of four children. Growing up during the Great Depression, Jim was raised first by his older sisters Jean and Frances, and then by his Uncle Jack Cox and Grandmother Jennie Baker Cox. It was here he learned integrity, commitment, the importance of family and to never give up, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Jim graduated from Dushore High School in 1948, and then went to work for Ma Bell in Brooklyn, N.Y. for a year before enlisting in the United States Air Force. He returned to Dushore for a visit and met his future wife, Veronica Ann Stabryla. They were married in Hawaii in 1952, during Jim’s first duty station at Hickham Air Force Base. Due to outstanding service, Jim was awarded a Battlefield Commission as a First Lieutenant serving during the Korean War and the Vietnam War and earned three Commendation Medals in superior operations and personnel practices. During his 20 years of service, Jim and Veronica lived overseas in Scotland and England, and traveled Europe extensively. Retiring from the Air Force with the rank of Major in 1969, Jim went to work for General Electric as an executive in computer programming. After retirement from GE in 1979, James and Veronica relocated to Jersey Shore to establish a franchise with General Business Services. Jim worked with dozens of small businesses in central Pa. helping them to grow their operations. Using the computer expertise that he developed at GE, he instituted some of the first computer-based business accounting systems available to small businesses in the early 1980’s.
Also, during this time, Jim started a local chapter of SERTOMA in Williamsport. SERTOMA (Service to Mankind), an organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for those at risk or impacted by hearing loss through education and support. This was a cause dear to his heart, for three of Jim and Veronica’s six children were born profoundly deaf. Jim retired again in 1993, this time from business consulting.
Jim was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader for his boys, and would always include the neighborhood children in all of their activities. At Clarke School, Mr. Hunter coaxed Jim to be a scoutmaster with him for a year. At Boy Scout camp, he taught many things not normally taught, giving depth and appreciation of the outdoors. He was also an avid hunter and fisherman and loved picking wild berries in the woods.
Jim is survived by his family; his loving wife of 69 years, Veronica Ann Gallagher of Jersey Shore. Together they had six children; James Gallagher (Shelley), Veronica Dunnington, Janette Stewart (Douglas), Michael Gallagher, Nelson Gallagher (Vicki), and Paul Gallagher (Torrey); grandchildren: James Gallagher, Ryan Gallagher, Montel (Gallagher) Wilkinson, Nolan Gallagher, Reuben Dunnington, Tiffany (Dunnington) Dillinger, Jane Gallagher, Jack Stewart, Douglas Stewart, Jr., Elizabeth (Stewart) Merrill, Shane Gallagher, Jaye Anne (Gallagher) Beringer, Nathan, Michela , Ethan, Noah, Liam, Nara and Tavi Gallagher; great-grandchildren: James, Collin, Logan, William, Lillian, Leilani and Madeline Gallagher, Matilda, Henry and Beatrice Wilkinson, Aiden Dunnington, Kaylee Dillinger, Ava, Isabella and Hudson Merrill, Olivia and Parker Stewart, Isabella, Xavier and Alowynne Beringer; nieces and nephews: Susan Brisson, Sandra Gallagher, Jack Calaman, Joanne Kizer, Patti Meredith, Mark Calaman, Tom Calaman, Tammy Farley, and Tim Farley and their families.
A funeral service and interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. with full military honors, 1 p.m. Friday March 19, 2021. If attending please arrive at the Old Post Chapel on Ft. Myer at 12:15 p.m., photo identification and face coverings will be required.
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