Obituary of Eleanor Louise Gallagher

Eleanor Gallagher, a retired secretary from the Woburn Public Schools and a beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on January 7, 2024 at the age of 89. Eleanor was born to her parents James and Mary and grew up in Medford. She graduated from Medford High School. Upon graduating, she began working in Boston at Esso Standard Oil. She loved working in town, taking the train in from Medford, and being a part of the working class.

Eleanor also enjoyed some leisure time at the beach. When she was in her 20s, she was at a beach in Falmouth with some of her girlfriends. Some boys next to them were playing catch and one threw the ball too far and it rolled over to Eleanor. She picked it up and threw it back to the guys. One of those guys was Thomas R. Gallagher, who said to his friends, “I’m going to marry that girl someday”. In 1962, that day came, as Eleanor and Thomas were wed. They bought a house in Woburn in 1963 and welcomed their two children, Thomas J. and Maura.

After her children started school, Eleanor took a job working as a secretary in Woburn so she was close to home. When she wasn’t working, she loved to knit. She would make hats, mittens, sweaters and afghans. She gave them as gifts but also donated them to St. Charles school fairs. Whenever the family was sitting around the living room, she’d pulled out her needles and get to work.

Another of Eleanor’s passions was travel. She loved to get out and see the world. She enjoyed company on her travels, but was also independent and happy to travel by herself. She made trips throughout the U.S., to Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and even South America. Some of her more local destinations included Cape Cod, where she had a home in West Yarmouth. Once the kids had weekend activities and friends to hang out with in the summertime, the family sold the Cape house and opted for a once-a-year visit.

She also loved to attend plays and musicals, whether in Boston, a local theater or even a high school performance. And if Johnny Mathis was in town, she was sure to attend.

As Eleanor’s children got older and had children of their own, Eleanor transitioned to “Nana Cake” as her granddaughters called her because she was always there with a sweet treat. Her grandson Thomas was always happy to visit because he got his favorite crescent rolls.

Eleanor being in Woburn and the granddaughters going to St. Charles School, allowed them all to spend quality time together. Julia and Erica would go over to Nana’s house after school where they’d get a snack and work on their homework. Nana was their biggest fan attending all school masses, shows and sporting events.

Eleanor was the beloved wife of the late Thomas Gallagher. She was the loving mother of Thomas J. Gallagher and his wife Dargon of North Chelmsford and Maura Hutchinson and her husband Kenneth of North Billerica. She was the cherished Nana to Julia and Erica Hutchinson and Thomas, James, and Jonathan Gallagher. She was the caring sister to the late Deacon James Scollans and his wife, the late Anne Scollans. She was the loving aunt to the late Jimmy “her altar boy”, Mark, David and Carol Scollans.

A funeral mass will be held for Eleanor at St. Charles Church, 280 Main St, Woburn, MA 01801, on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 10 AM, followed by a burial at Calvary Cemetery, 686 Washington St, Winchester, MA 01890.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Eleanor’s honor to the Alzheimer's Association, at www.alz.org, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd, Waltham, MA 02452
For Online Guestbook, Tribute Video and Service Information, please visit www.sullivanfuneralhome.net