Martin J. Gallagher, Jr., of Sanibel Island, FL and Montvale, NJ, passed into eternal rest surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, November 7, 2019 in Montvale after a courageous battle with cancer. Marty was the beloved husband of 58 years of Dorothy, father of Martin J. Gallagher III and his wife Carolann, Brian M. Gallagher, Colleen Gallagher Blake and her husband Kevin, grandfather of Martin IV, Ryan, Caisey, Taylor, Brendan, Vaughn, Jace, and Owen, adored son of the late Martin, Sr. and Ethel, and hero big brother of Beth and her husband Joe, Robert and his wife Elly, Eileen and her husband Billy, and Gerri and her husband Paul.
Born in Brooklyn, NY on April 7, 1940, Marty attended Blessed Sacrament, St. Francis Prep, and Delehanty HS. At 15 he met and fell in love with Dorothy. At 17 he volunteered for the U.S. Navy and proudly served aboard the USS Fulton AS-11 for four years and in 1961 he married Dorothy, the love of his life. After serving in the Navy he worked for Plymouth Rock Provisions in the Bronx, NY for 12 years. In 1972 he, his wife and three children moved to Montvale NJ and in 1973 he purchased his first of several Exxon station where he worked until his retirement in 1989 and where he spent time with his sons in subsequent years.
Marty invested wisely in real estate and stocks but mostly worked hard for everything he accomplished his whole life. He enjoyed 40 years of part-time and full-time residence on Sanibel Island, his “La La Land,” and he enjoyed spending family time in both NJ and FL.
Marty was a faithful parishioner of both Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in NJ and St. Isabel Catholic Church in FL, a fun-loving member of Captiva Island Yacht Club, an avid golfer, and a car enthusiast. He volunteered for many years with the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Habitat For Humanity, and the Montvale Fire Department, where he was recognized one day after his passing for his 45 years of service.
The family will receive visitors at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Rd., Westwood, NJ on Monday, November 11, 2019 from 1PM to 4PM and 7PM to 9PM. A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady Mercy Catholic Church, 2 Fremont Ave., Park Ridge, NJ at 10AM.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to either Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or Habitat For Humanity.
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
or Habitat For Humanity
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