Valentine A. Gallagher

On Monday, May 22, 2023, Val Gallagher, loving wife, mother of two children, grandmother of 6 children and great grandmother of one child, passed away at age 86.

Val was born on February 14,1937 in Brooklyn, New York, to Leonard and Anna Genova.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1958 from Hunter College.  Growing up in Brooklyn, she spent many a day at Ebbets Field cheering on, and sometimes crying over, her beloved Brooklyn Dodgers. 

Val married the love of her life, John Gallagher, on July 5, 1958.  They moved to New Jersey where they raised their daughters, Barbara and Debbie.

Val was an elementary school teacher for 41 years, 39 of which she taught First Grade at Memorial School in Montvale, New Jersey.  She was elected President of the Montvale Teachers Association guiding the Association through several challenging contract negotiations.  She was named Teacher of the Year in 1996-1997.  She retired from teaching in 2003.  

Val loved teaching first grade. She always said that she was so lucky because she had a job that she truly loved.  She spent many summer days at her home in New Jersey tutoring students who struggled with reading.  She never charged for her services, and always added a swim in the pool when the lesson ended.  Her impact on her students and their parents was deep and long lasting with many of her former students and their parents remaining in touch with her even after she retired.

After retiring, Val moved to Connecticut in 2006 where she spent her days playing golf with her favorite partner, John, and spending time with her six grandchildren.

Val was known for her compassion, her dedication to her students, and her love for and commitment to her children, grandchildren and great grandson.  

Val was preceded in death by her father, Leonard, her mother, Anna and her husband, John.  She is survived by her sister, Lenore, her children, Barbara and Debbie, her grandchildren, John, Thomas, Christopher, Megan, Katie and Sarah and her great grandson, Giancarlo.  Visiting hours will be on Wednesday, May 31st at Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home, 2 School Street, Woodbury, Connecticut between 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm.  A funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 1st at New North Cemetery, the West side of Washington Avenue, Woodbury, Connecticut, at 11 o’clock a.m.

***In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Val Gallagher Memorial Scholarship Fund ℅ Woodbury Scholarship Fund Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 716, Woodbury, Connecticut, 06798 or Read Ahead (https://readahead.org). 

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