Obituary of Rosemary Anne Gallagher

Rosemary Anne (Gafford) Gallagher
October 2, 1942 – July 13, 2023
 
Rosemary Anne Gallagher 80, passed away at home in Tigard, OR.
Born to AJ. Gafford and Mary Helen (Susanka) Gafford in Portland, OR.; the oldest of four children. Her younger siblings, include sister Gwendolyn Bonneau, Dennis Gafford, and Gloria Giddens.
She married James (Jim) Eugene Gallagher on April 28, 1963, in Portland, OR; they had four children, daughters Colleen Marie in 1964, Mary Kathleen in 1966, Maureen Rose in 1973, and son Shannon Michael in 1974. Rosemary and Jim divorced in 1980.
Rosemary attended and graduated from All Saints Grade School and Marycrest High School, Portland, OR., in 1961; after High School she joined the U.S. Army, training as a surgical nurse in 1962. She received an honorable discharge in 1963. Rosemary and Jim moved from Port Angeles, WA., to Astoria, OR., in 1965; where Rosemary job shared a position as a surgical nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital in Astoria from 1965 to 1972. The family moved to Salem, OR., in 1972, where Rosemary lived in the family home until February 2023. Rosemary earned her Associate of Arts degree from Chemeketa Community College in 1976. Rosemary owned a cleaning business, Rag-Mopp-Rent-A-Mopp, from 1980-1986; then started working for the State of Oregon in the Employment Department, from 1986, until retiring in 2013. Her Catholic faith was very important to her throughout her life, she was active in the Charismatic Renewal for over 40 years.
Rosemary was preceded in death by her brother, Dennis Gafford in 1958, father, AJ Gafford in 1997, mother, Mary Helen Gafford in 2001, daughter, Mary-Kathleen in 2018, granddaughter, Emily Rose in 2020 and son, Shannon Michael Gallagher in 2022. 
Rosemary leaves behind, daughters Colleen (Ron) Moist, Maureen Rose Gallagher, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren; sisters Gwendolyn, Gloria (Mike), and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 721 Chemeketa Street N.E. Salem, OR., on Friday, September 1, 2023. Rosary at 9:30 AM and Funeral Mass begins at 10:00 AM. A reception will immediately follow the Mass in the Parish Center.
In leu of floral arrangements, memorial contributions can be made: In Remembrance of Rosemary Anne Gallagher to: Catholic Community Services: To make a gift please contact (503) 856-7062 (mailto:(503)%20856-7062) or communications@ccswv.org (mailto:communications@ccswv.org) or on
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