Pauline P. Gallagher of Holden, MA

Pauline Pearsall Gallagher, 85, of Holden, MA, formerly of Lowell,  Chelmsford,  South Dennis and Worcester, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 18, 2024, at CareOne Nursing Home in Millbury, MA.

Pauline was the beloved wife of the late Thomas W. Gallagher Jr., who predeceased her in 1998.

Born in Lowell, she was the daughter of the late George F.A. and Alice B. (Marcotte) Pearsall.  A proud graduate of Lowell High School, class of 1957, Pauline subsequently earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Lowell State College, setting the foundation for a lifelong dedication to education.

Her professional journey began in Odessa, TX, where she taught in the Head Start program at Catholic mission schools.  When she returned to New England, she taught in the Bedford schools until the birth of her son, Tim.  After taking two years off, she ran the Head Start program in Lowell’s Shaughnessy School.  Following Head Start, Pauline taught at Sacred Heart School in Lowell, under the incredible leadership of Sr. Mary Hartley, who became one of Pauline’s closest lifelong friends. Pauline loved Sr. Mary dearly, as she was an unwavering spiritual and professional mentor,  always cultivating Pauline’s gifts as an educator.  After serving as Title I coordinator for the Sacred Heart and Molloy schools, Pauline became the Assistant Chapter I Coordinator in Lowell.  Her career culminated with a 17-year tenure as principal of LeBlanc Elementary School in Lowell until her retirement in 2002. Even in retirement, her commitment to teaching persisted as she volunteered on Abaco Island in the Bahamas, where she shared her expertise and joy with emotionally and developmentally challenged students at a specialized school.

A passionate golfer, she was a member of Mt. Pleasant Golf Club and enjoyed playing at public courses in South Dennis, MA, where she spent many relaxing summers with Tom and her brother and sister-in-law, Gerry and Jane Gallagher.  She derived great pleasure from the time she spent at Bayview Beach.  While residing in South Dennis, Pauline was an active member of St. Pius X Catholic Church, Dennis-Yarmouth Newcomers and Dennis Couples Golf Group.  In the 1970’s, she also shared her faith by teaching CCD classes at St. Mary’s Church in Chelmsford.  During her youth and teen years, Pauline thrived on expressing her artistic side through singing, dancing, and baton twirling, which became a signature activity with her beloved Pearsall sisters. Pauline rarely forfeited the opportunity to grab the microphone in social settings to belt out a few lyrics, usually from “A Good Man Is Hard To Find.” Pauline was an avid traveler, always seeking new ventures of exploration.  Some of her fondest memories were trips to Ireland with her sister Lorraine and brother-in-law Dave,  the cross-country trip with Tom and Tim in 1972, and the Alaskan cruise with Tim, Colleen, Brendan and Conor in 2014.  She cherished her travel experiences with her sister, Lillian Pellissier as well.

Above all, Pauline treasured time with her family.  Tom was the first to admit that Pauline was the rock that kept our family going.  Pauline was a fabulous mother to Tim, forever supportive on every level.  Of particular significance was Pauline’s love and presence for her mother-in-law, Laura Gallagher, and dear Aunt Belle St. Pierre.  Laura and Belle knew very early on that “Tom picked a good one.”  When Colleen came into Tim’s life and blessed her with two wonderful grandsons, Brendan and Conor, Pauline embraced the opportunity to be that reading teacher again.  She emanated  joy and unselfishness with her many nieces and nephews at every opportunity.   We are forever grateful for Pauline’s pure, Christian way of never having a bad word to say about anybody.

Pauline is survived by her loving son, Timothy F. Gallagher, and his wife, Colleen (Mitchell) Gallagher, of Holden, MA; her siblings, Stephen Pearsall and his wife, Mary, of Bradford, MA, and Lillian Pellissier of Glen Mills, PA; and her sisters and brothers-in-law, Gerald Gallagher and his wife, Jane, of Williamsburg, VA, Claudia Zinanni and her husband, Leo, of Oak Park, IL,  Fr. Dennis Gallagher of Worcester, MA, and Nancy Hornick of Mt. Dora, FL; her dear grandchildren, Brendan Gallagher of Charleston, SC, and Conor Gallagher of Holden, MA; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her siblings, the late George, James, and Doris Pearsall, Lorraine McLaughlin, and Rita Conlon Neal; her brothers-in-law, the late Rino Pellissier, David McLaughlin, Thomas Conlon, and Robert Neal.

Visiting hours for Pauline will be on Sun., Nov. 24, 2024 from 4:00pm-7:00pm at DOLAN FUNERAL HOME, 106 MIDDLESEX STREET, N. CHELMSFORD, MA 01863.  Her Funeral will be on Mon., Nov. 25, 2024 with another viewing period from 10:15am-10:45am at St. John the Evangelist Church, 115 Middlesex Street, N. Chelmsford, MA 01863, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:am with burial in St. Mary Cemetery, 90 River Rd., Tewksbury, MA 01876. Pauline’s funeral Mass will be live streamed at https://theholyrood.org/watch-via-livestream . Memorials may be made in her memory to Alzheimer’s Association.   ARRANGEMENTS BY DOLAN FUNERAL HOME 978-251-4041. Guestbook at www.dolanfuneralhome.com.