Stephen Leo Gallagher, Jr.
June 28, 1939 - March 12, 2021
Stephen Leo Gallagher, Jr., who has died aged 81, presided over a number of high-profile cases during more than two decades on the bench in Multnomah County. Born in New York City, Gallagher was a choirboy at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, and often attended performances at the nearby Metropolitan Opera. He joined the Air Force after graduating from Brown University, and later served in the Air National Guard. He studied law at the University of Oregon, working in private practice before being appointed to the court in 1981.
In 1996 he was the first judge in the United States to require a public agency to provide homosexual couples with the same medical, dental and life insurance benefits it offered to married couples, noting that, "Constitutional law may mandate, like it or not, that customs change with an evolving social order."
He served on the board of the Portland Opera, and sang with the Balladeers at the Multnomah Athletic Club. Proud of his Irish heritage, Gallagher was born with a twinkle in his eye, and a smile was always just a joke or a story away.
He is survived by his daughters, Jennifer Anderholt of Vancouver, Washington, Libby Collins of New York City; and his grandson, Austin Anderholt.
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