Submitted By: Dan Rich

Johanna Gallagher

Oct. 28, 1908 - Dec. 25, 2004

South Bend Tribune 12/31/2004

Johanna (Cooney) Gallagher, 96, of South Bend, previously of Detroit, MI, and Dunwoody, GA., died peacefully on December 25, 2004, surrounded by family in the home of her son after a brief illness. She was born October 28, 1908, the eldest of eight siblings, in Ballykelly, New Ross, Ireland, to John and Bridget (Walsh) Cooney. At the age of 20, she took her one and only boat ride to America, where she finally arrived in Detroit, MI, to stay with an aunt and uncle. She worked at Mary Grove College and eventually met her future husband, William Gallagher, at an Irish dance. Upon Hearing that William told his cousin that he had met the girl he was to marry (after only seeing her one time), she promptly decided that he "Must have been a bit crazy:. Luckily, she saw past this and in 1936, she married and began her family of two daughters and two sons with William

Johanna spent 50 years in Detroit raising her family and watching her children begin families of their own, before moving to Atlanta, GA., to live with her daughter, Susan and her family. Several trips back to Ireland came during these years, and she always enjoyed seeing her family abroad and her birthplace. She then journeyed to South Bend, IN, near her son, William and his family, and came to rest at the Marian Hill Retirement Center. Never one to see retirement living as anything but an opportunity for new experiences and friendships, when the group moved to St. Paul's Retirement Community and a new building, Johanna was one of the first to choose her room, often talking her family into peeking through the windows with her while it was being constructed (Just to make sure it was being done right). She enjoyed almost 20 years in Marian Hill and St. Paul's, and touched many lives over the time she spent there. One of the original St. Paul's Pioneer Residents, she tended the congregate chapel on a daily basis for the past 14 years.

Johanna was always enormously proud of her children and her grandchildren, and she loved her sons- and daughter-in-law as if they were her own. Her greatest accomplishment may be seen through their lives and the way in which they are lived. Ask any of her grandchildren how their decisions are made and the answer will be "What would Grandma want me to do? Will this make her proud?" Her legacy lives on in the love of God and love of each other that she instilled in all of her descendents.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her children, (Leonard dec.) Joanne Hild, of Clinton Twp., MI, (Thomas) Susan Domzal of Dundwoody, GA, Patrick (Jeanne) Gallagher of North Royalton, Ohio, and William (Mary) Gallagher of South Bend, IN; and her sister, Bridget Allman of Cheshire, England. She also leaves 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and almost a century of friends, all of whom were blessed for having know her.

Her funeral services were held at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of the University of Notre Dame at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 29, 2004. Visitation was held at the McGann Funeral Home, 2313 Edison Road, December 28, 2004.