James Gallagher

home March 9, 2014. Jim was born in Orlando, FL January 19, 1926.

He spent his younger yeas in New Jersey, Ohio and New York.

April, 1943 Jim joined the U. S. Navy at Great Lakes Naval Training

Center, Chicago, and took gunnery training at New Orleans gunnery

school. He spent his 4 years as an Armed Guard gunner's mate on

Liberty and Victory ships delivering war supplies to troops in Europe,

North Africa, Italy, also Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.

Jim made at least 5 trips across the Atlantic and never had a ship

shot out from under him and that is why he thought God was good to him

and that is why he was a staunch, brave "soldier" to the very end of

his life. Traveling in convoys, they would come under fire from

enemy aircraft and many ships were sunk by German U-Boats. One of his

ships was torpedoed in harbor in North Africa.

Jim was transferred to the West Coast, San Francisco, and delivered

supplies to Hawaii. He was then transferred to Seattle and for about

a year and half he worked in the naval shipyard.

He was discharged in Seattle in 1947. Unable to find work, he

moved to Fairbanks, Alaska where he met his future wife Ann Clark She

had a teaching position, grades 1 - 8 in the Indian Village of

Koyukuk, on the banks for the Koyukuk and Yukon Rivers for 3 years.

Two children, Richard and Deborah were born during this time in

Fairbanks.

The family moved to Seattle and bought a new home at their present

address in August, 1962. This was during the Seattle World's Fair so

there was plenty of cement finishing work which Jim did for over 40

years.

In 1979, Jim earned his Culinary AA degree from North Seattle

Community College. During his retirement year, Jim enjoyed cooking

for church groups, especially men's breakfast at Alderwood Community

Church.

He enjoyed remodeling our home. Also, one day a week for many

weeks, Jim enjoyed working with Tom Myers and Luke Mulder building the

Snohomish Community Church pastored by Tim Walton and Gordon Everett.

In 2004 when Jim was 74 years old, Debbie bought a fixer-upper house.

Remodeling her home was the passion of his life. It brought him many

hours and years of great joy.

Jim loved to garden. He especially enjoyed raising dahlias to take

to the folks at the Filipino American Christian Church.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, John and Edna (Glass)

Gallagher, brothers Jack and William and Sister June.

Jim is survived by his wife, Ann, of 59 years, son Richard, his wife, Cora

Bautista, grandson Benjamin and granddaughter Annmarie and his

daughter Deborah.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 2:00

p.m. at the Filipino American Christian Church

8713 220th St. S.W., Edmonds, WA