Dustin Galligan

Dustin was born to Ronda Thompson and Dan Galligan on December 13, 1992 at Irvine Medical Center in Irvine, California. His early years were spent in Pasadena where his family owned a funeral home. He even learned to ride a bike in the aisles of a mortuary chapel. Dustin made friends easily as a child. He could be found on the playground extending his hand and saying, “Hi, I’m Dustin, can I play with you?” He also loved Pokémon and spent time mastering a variety of games on his Play Station.

Dustin’s family moved to San Diego in 2001. He took to team sports, joining the soccer, baseball and basketball teams in the Eastlake community where they lived. Although Dustin excelled at baseball and was quite the cleanup batter, he ultimately decided to focus on basketball. He was a power forward on the traveling Eastlake basketball teams and created many wonderful memories and friendships as the team travelled and grew together.

In 2007 Dustin began his freshman year at Eastlake High School. He made an early splash on campus with his flawless execution of the trendy dance of the day the “Stanky Leg” which gained him instant notoriety as a white boy who could bust a move.

After graduating from Eastlake High School, Dustin attended Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo for three years. Although he wasn’t thrilled by the classwork, this is where he moved out for the first time, experienced roommate life and discovered his passion for guitar.

Dustin relocated to the Bay Area in 2012. This transition marked the beginning of the most expansive and transformative time of his life. He took a job at a bistro and worked his way up from busing tables to bartending. Dustin loved being a bartender in the Silicon Valley where he had the opportunity to interact with a wide range of people and personalities. He took up meditation and deepened his commitment to learning the guitar - practicing both daily.

Dustin passed suddenly on November 6, 2017 in a tragic accident while eating his lunch before work. He is survived by his mother Ronda Thompson and her wife Colleen Mitchell, his father Dan Galligan and many aunts, uncles and cousins in the Thompson, Galligan and Mitchell families.

He will be remembered for his kindness, his loyalty, his love and his laughter.