Judy Gallagher

1939 - 2024

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Judy Gallagher of Napa, Ca.

Judy was born in 1939 to parents, Blois & Veril (Smith) King, both lifelong residents of Napa. Judy was a fixture in Napa & spent her entire life there with the exception of her college years & her early married life. As a young adult she was trained as a classical pianist, but she also had a wild side & as a teen Judy was known to hot wire cars from her high school parking lot for a joy ride.

She graduated from Napa High in 1957 & after a brief stint at San Jose State, she attended Chico State University & Chico became her home away from home. She was the life of the party & enjoyed bartending at Tom's Place where she met the love of her life, Leo Gallagher. After graduating from Chico State, she settled into her career as an elementary school teacher. She & Leo were married in 1963, spending 32 years together before his passing. She lived the past 29 years missing Leo & we find great peace knowing that she's reunited with him.

Judy was a devoted mother & grandmother. She is survived by her daughter Katherine Guccione (David), her son Kevin Gallagher (Suzanne), & her beloved grandchildren Delia & Frankie. She spent her career teaching the youth of Napa & many of her closest friends were those she taught with & the parents of previous students. One of her greatest passions while teaching was taking her students every year to Yosemite as part of the outdoor education program. Yosemite held a special place in her heart & there are many grown adults now that will always remember those trips & how they helped shape their youth.

Judy also loved spending time in Disneyland & she would explain that it was the one place on earth where she could forget all her troubles & enter the world of fantasy. She also loved Willie Nelson & spent hours listening to his music & enjoyed many of his concerts.

Annually, she looked forward to her summer trips with friends from grade school & high school to Inverness & Lake Tahoe.

After her retirement, she took great pride in her volunteerism with Community Projects, an organization that was not only near & dear to her heart, but her mother & grandmother had also been active participants. She gave freely of her time & cared deeply for the ladies she worked alongside in the thrift shop.

Judy will be laid to rest with her late husband Leo & her parents at Tulocay Cemetery in a private ceremony. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date, info to come.

We love you Judy