Obituary of Leo P. Gallagher, Jr.

 Please Note:  Calling hours/Wake  location has been changed.  They  are being held at Thomas M Gallagher Funeral home 104 Myrtle Avenue Stamford, CT 06902 (203)-359-9999

NOT AT

Leo P Gallagher  Funeral Home   2900 Summer st.

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GALLAGHER, LEO P., JR. (92) died July 14, 2021 in Naples, Florida from a short illness. Leo, Jr., known as “Skeets”, was born in Stamford Hospital (CT) to Leo P. and Wilhelmina Graf Gallagher on August 6th, 1928, and lived most of his life in Stamford.

He was first married to Mary E. Burns, a Stamford resident who died in 1990. They had ten children. He later married Mary Noone Hassan, wife of the late Kamal A. Hassan. M.D.

Skeets is survived by his wife, Mary and seven children, Maureen G. Farris, Sharon E. Poppa (Mike), Leo P, III (Rita), Kevin P. (Ayde), Paul J. (Kathryn), Sean C. and Thomas M. (Adela). He was predeceased by sons Timothy H., Terence J. and Daniel L. Gallagher. He is also survived by one sister, Mary Ellen Wynne, (late Thomas). He was predeceased by his sister, Patricia Ann Dorion (Robinson). In addition, he was predeceased by his lifelong childhood friend, George U. Robotti.

He is also survived by five stepchildren, Kevin, Brendan & Edward Murphy, Shariff Hassan, and Karima Hopkins. The grandchildren are Bryan, Megan, Sean, Justin, and Kristen Farris, Colleen Urban and Brendan Studley, Patrick McNulty, Daniel, Kianna, Jessy, Colman, Alexandra, Olivia and Alec Gallagher. The step-grandchildren are Erin and Caroline Murphy, Alexandria and Keegan Hassan and Cleo Hopkins.  He is also survived by one great-grandchild, Benjamin Urban.

Leo attended St. John Parochial School, Stamford and was a proud graduate of the first four-year class at Fairfield Prep in 1946. He then graduated from St. Bonaventure College in 1950 and the McAllister School of Embalming in 1951. He then served in the US Army in Germany during the Korean War. He was an Artillery Lieutenant in the 28th Infantry Division.

Following his military service, he worked with his father in the family funeral business in Stamford. He later became President of the firm during which time it expanded and acquired the Pritchard and the Frank M. Reilly Funeral Homes.

Following a disastrous arson fire of the original home on Suburban Ave., he moved the firm to a new location on Summer St where a modern state of the art funeral home was built and opened in January 1987.  In 1992, Leo sold the family's business, Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Homes, to Service Corporation International, and retired.

Leo was very active in many community, religious and professional organizations. His contributions to the community were recognized by the following:  the Stamford Police Association, the State Street Debating Society and the West Point Crew, the Jaycees and the Hibernians where he was honored to be named Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He was appointed to the Connecticut State Board of Funeral Directors. He served as President of the International Order of The Golden Rule, the funeral directors association.

His personal interests included enjoying his extended family and the many summers on Cape Cod, becoming an Instrument Rated Private Pilot and flying his own Cessna, photography and sailing. He was a member of The Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk and the Audubon Country Club of Naples, FL.

Since retiring in 1992, he has maintained a home in Naples, FL.

The visitation for family and friends will be held at the Thomas M. Gallagher Funeral Home, 104 Myrtle Avenue in Stamford. (203)-359-9999, from 3-8 pm on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, July 22, 2021 at St Cecilia Church, 1184 Newfield Ave, Stamford, CT. The Interment will follow with Military Honors at St John Cemetery, Darien, CT.  Memorial contributions would be much preferred to Fairfield Prep Development and Alumni office, 1073 North Benson Rd., Fairfield, CT 06824 (development@fairfieldprep.org) in lieu of flowers. To send online condolences to the Gallagher Family, please visit www.gallagherfuneralhome.com.