In Loving Memory of Patricia Ellen Gallagher

Patricia Ellen Gallagher, age 63, passed away May 23, 2022 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was born on March 17, 1959 in New Haven, Connecticut to Nancy Lois and William McKinley Gallagher. Pat grew up and graduated high school in Cheshire, Connecticut. She then went on to attend Dartmouth College, UC Santa Cruz, and the University of Denver obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Master of Library and Information Science degrees. She was also a Merit Scholar Finalist. Pat’s professional life included working as a technical writer for several companies in Silicon Valley as well as a freelance writer.

Pat was an avid reader her entire life; she consumed books, articles, and online material with gusto. Anyone who knew Pat appreciated her enthusiasm for politics and all things Irish. She worked exhaustively on the Obama presidential campaign in 2008 and was deeply involved in a variety of online political forums. Through these forums, she made numerous friends and acquaintances all over the world. What made Pat most happy was cooking for her friends and family, attending live concerts (especially the Grateful Dead) and the numerous cats she adopted and loved over the years. One of the highlights for her family was a surprise trip Pat arranged to Ireland for her mom and sisters. Pat’s quick wit and passion for sharing good books and movies will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.

Most people knew Pat as “a bookish” or “wrapped up in her computer” kind of person. But there was a time while visiting her sister that Pat went from mild mannered passenger on a raft trip to super hero! Shortly after launching the raft, it became clear that the river guide was well out of his element and the boat flipped over in the rough class III water. The other passenger and guide panicked, yelling for help and flailing in the water. Not Pat though. She helped the passenger swim to shore, then was instrumental in ferrying the boat back to safety, helping haul what gear could be salvaged up the long steep incline, never once complaining, just doing what she knew had to be done for everyone to safely make it home. Pat always had a  lot of gumption!

Pat is preceded in death by her father, William Gallagher. She is survived by her mother, Nancy Gallagher; her brother, Dan Gallagher; two sisters, Meg and Beth Gallagher; and her niece Katie Gallagher.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider a donation to one of Pat’s favorite charities, Care and Share Food Bank. https://careandshare.org/