Representative James V. Gallagher View All Years

JAMES V. GALLAGHER

James V. Gallagher was born on February 18, 1933, in Carroll, Iowa, to Vincent and Benita Fitzgibbons Gallagher. He passed away on December 8, 2006, at the age of 73. He is survived by his wife Sally of Bondurant, Iowa; and sons, Mike and his wife, Donna, of Warren, Minnesota, Dan and his wife, Sue, of Dyersville, Iowa, John and his wife, Beth, of Dyersville, Steve and his wife, Rachel, of Carmel, Indiana, and Tom of Boone, North Carolina. He is also survived by a brother Joe and his wife, Madeline; a sister Mary Carter and her husband, Bud; thirteen grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; four step-children; and six step-grandchildren.

Gallagher graduated from St. Ann’s High School in Vail, Iowa, in 1951. He attended the State College at Cedar Falls (now the University of Northern Iowa), the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and Grandview College.

Gallagher served in the United States Army from 1952–1955 and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. He worked on guided missiles at White Sands in New Mexico. He helped build the “Dew Line” (Distance Early Warning System) radar line across the Arctic in 1956, during the Cold War with Russia.

Gallagher had a 43-year career with Bell Telephone Company. He had many interests and belonged to many organizations including the Communications Workers of America, American Legion, AMVETS, Izaak Walton League, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, Telephone Pioneers, Black Hawk County Historical Museum, and D-Day Museum. He was a member of the President Carter and the President Clinton Centers. He was an ardent conservationist, having planted more than 30,000 pine and walnut trees during his lifetime.

During his retirement years, he wrote letters to the Vail Observer, his hometown newspaper. His remembrances became a weekly column, known as “The Tales of Vail.” He also was published in the Reminisce magazine.

Gallagher was a Black Hawk County Democrat. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1965–1968 during the 61st and 62nd General Assemblies. He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 1972 and served from 1973–1984 during the 65th, 66th, 67th, 68th, 69th, and 70th General Assemblies.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE EIGHTY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable James V. Gallagher, the State has lost an honored citizen and faithful and useful public servant, and that the Senate by this resolution expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

WILLIAM A. DOTZLER, JR.

JOHN PUTNEY

BRIAN SCHOENJAHN

Committee