Richard Harry Gallagher was born on August 27, 1947, to Bernie and Carrol Gallagher in Sioux Falls South Dakota. There, Rich grew up with two older brothers, Chuck and Mike, and little sister Patricia in a purple house on Glendale Ave. He attended Catholic School and graduated from O’Gorman High School where he met his high school sweetheart Rita Marie Linder. They were married on April Fool’s Day 1967 and quickly welcomed their first daughter, Theresa, into a married housing dorm at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. Rich received a Bachelor of Administration and through ROTC became a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army the day he graduated from college. The Gallagher’s then moved back to Sioux Falls to be closer to family. In between Boot Camp and Officer Training, Rich took leave to welcome their son Troy in 1970. Three days after the arrival of their son, Rich was deployed to serve in Viet Nam as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army’s 101st Airbourne Division, the “Screaming Eagles”, serving 13 months of active duty in the jungle of Viet Nam. While stateside the Gallagher’s lived at Fort Riley, Fort Benning, and near family in Sioux Falls. After his military service, Rich moved the family to La Crosse, Wisconsin to take a position with the Trane Company as a Construction Consultant. In La Crosse Rich’s youngest daughter Christine was born in 1972 to complete their family of five.
1974 was the year the Gallagher’s moved to Texas for a position with Pierce Engineering, as a Controller. The gamble paid off and Pierce created a construction business that Rich successfully oversaw for years. While with Pierce, Rich completed his master’s degree in finance from Pepperdine University. So, in the early 80’s, armed with the knowledge these two experiences brought, and the support of his wife, Rich and Rita started InForm Construction, Inc. InForm was a successful general construction company, building the first Stop-n-Go Markets in North Texas, churches, schools, libraries and even replicating the iconic 1819 Wallis Hotel that is (again) a tourist destination on Grapevine’s Main Street. Inform grew into a real estate holding company, R&R Investments and a residential construction company, Glendale Homes; all the while, allowing the entire family a chance to work with and for him over the course of 30 plus years. During this time, Rita became ill with a rare and aggressive cancer. He was her high school sweetheart until the end.
Rich found love again and married Janis Kay McClary, a neighbor and friend in the fall of 1998. With their union the Gallagher family tree bloomed with new siblings and more grandchildren! Rich and Janis became more than husband and wife, they became a team, creating homes together, sailing competitively, racing cars, traveling extensively, and infamously doting on their grandkids. In their travels they decided Florida would be the spot for retirement and moved to Punta Gorda, Florida in 2012. While they endured many storms there over the 11 years, it was Hurricane Ian’s category 4 that encouraged them to move back home to Texas, back to their big family, to be supported and surrounded by their love.
Rich passed away peacefully at home with his loving wife of 25 years by his side Monday night January 8, 2024. He is preceded in death by his parents Bernie and Carrol Gallagher, his first wife of 30 years, Rita Linder Gallagher, in-laws Ralph and Veronica Linder, and brother Francis (Chuck) Gallagher.
He is survived by his wife Janis McClary Gallagher, sister Patricia Rodenberger (husband Bill), brother Michael Gallagher (wife Diane), sister-in-law Joan Ford, brother-in-law Fred Linder (wife Mary), daughter Theresa Craddock (husband Joey), son Troy Gallagher (wife Kathy), daughter Christine Dubose (husband Curt), stepdaughter Lori Kirkhuff, and stepson Michael Freeman (wife Cari).
Rich will be remembered as a fun and loving Grampi to his 17 grandchildren: Lauren (husband Landon), Audrey, Erin, Grayson (wife Jess), Connor, Keegan, Chloe, Jules, Hannah (husband Tyler), Maddie (husband Tommy), Carson, Reilly (wife Heather), Abbi, Brayden, Bryce, Brittlyn, and Brylee; and a steadfast uncle to Amber (Patrick/Lucas, Caroline), Christopher (Shawna/Landon, Corbin, Brooklynn), Matthew, Mindy, Marsue, Scott, Michelle, Karla, Brian and Karen.
The branches of this family tree have and will continue to grow through Rich’s great-grandchildren: Kyler Broan (3), Hazel Beth (1), Stetson Hayes (1) and Hunter Ann (2 weeks)
Flowers may be delivered to the address above or at Rich’s request a donation made to Wounded Warrior Project.
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