Obituary of Gordon Vincent Gallagher

On Wednesday, May 4, Gordon V. Gallagher, DDS, 94, originally from Binghamton, NY, went peacefully into the arms of Our Lord while at his beloved home on Nantucket Island, MA. He was predeceased by his wife of 30 years, Juliette Cusick Gallagher; parents Robert and Susie (Hall); and his brothers Robert and Wendell. He is survived by his daughter, Anne (Jeff) Connors of Wellesley, MA, and three sons: Joe (Patty) of Fair Haven, NJ; Rev. Charles, SJ, of Boston, MA; and Vincent (Paula) of Hanson, MA; brother-in-law, Dr. Joseph (Darby) Cusick of Elm Grove, WI; and Cal the Cat, his loyal sidekick for the last 6 years. He was affectionately known as "PopPop" to his 11 grandchildren: Darren, Margaret, Tessie, Clare, Brendan, Kevin, Jimmy, Jack, Matthew, Grace and Juliette, and was Uncle Gordon to 19 nieces and nephews. Our family also sends tremendous love and gratitude to his primary caregivers in his later years: Elaine Flynn, Suzette Pike and Jenn Iller, all of Nantucket. They kept Gordon comfortable and allowed him to pass on with dignity. Born at home in Binghamton, NY, on June 20, 1921, he attended St. Patrick's High School in Binghamton, NY, class of 1939. After graduating, he worked for Link Aviation before enlisting in the United States Coast Guard on July 23, 1942. He was Signalman First Class aboard the USS Hutchinson and fought in the Battle of Leyte Gulf before his honorable discharge on January 28, 1946. After WWII, he attended the University of Scranton, followed by the University of Buffalo's School of Dentistry. He opened his dental practice in Binghamton during the summer of 1955 and practiced continuously until his retirement in 1996. From 1997 to June 2010, he was the dutiful sacristan at St. Mary's, Our Lady of the Isle Catholic Church on Nantucket. He was a member of the American Dental Association, the Nocturnal Adoration Society and just about any organization or club that had anything to do with British sports cars, sailboats, ice boats, and airplanes. In later years, his hobbies included jewelry making, crafting Nantucket lightship baskets, clock repair, and the constant compulsion to improve his piano playing. Most importantly, he was a deeply devout and religious person who instilled the value of daily prayer within his family. A funeral liturgy will be celebrated by his son, Rev. Charles R. Gallagher, SJ, on Wednesday, May 11, at St. Mary's, Our Lady of the Isle Catholic Church, Nantucket, at 1pm, with visitation at 12 noon. A Rite of Burial will take place at 10am on Saturday, May 14, at Calvary Cemetery in Johnson City, NY. Section 8-1. In lieu of flowers, donations in Gordon's name can be sent to: Campion Health Center (A Facility for the Care of Aged and Infirm Jesuits of the North East Province) 319 Concord Road, Weston, MA 02493.