John Gallagher

John I. Gallagher, 92, of Berkshire Commons, Exeter Township, passed into eternal life on March 4, 2013. He and his wife, Stella M. (Nein) Gallagher, previously lived on Frances Street in South Temple, Muhlenberg Township, for 52 years.

John was born in Lebanon, PA, on November 30, 1920, to the late Hugh H. and Ida D. (Uhler) Gallagher. The family moved to Reading in the 1920s.

John graduated from Reading High School in 1940. After high school, John worked as a draftsman at the former Reading Chain and Block Corporation until he entered the military in 1943.

In 1951, John earned a diploma in Production Management from The Pennsylvania State College, Extension Services, Reading Technical Institute.

On May 8, 1944, while on military leave, John married Stella Nein of Laureldale in Elkton, MD. They were married for 68 years.

After engineering training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and Fort Belvoir, VA, John was sent to England, serving in Company C of the 81st Engineers Combat Battalion, 106th Infantry Division (the Golden Lions).

On February 8, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and Germany, John was seriously wounded and was later awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service to his country. After recuperation in Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington, DC, John came back to Reading. In 1954, John and Stella traveled to Europe with five other veterans from the 106th Infantry Division to observe the 10th Anniversary of the Battle of the Ardennes (Bulge). John and his fellow veterans were presented to King Baudouin of Belgium at a ceremony in the Palais des Academies in Brussels.

In 1945, John returned to work at the former Reading Chain and Block, now Reading Crane and Engineering Company. He retired as treasurer and materials manager in 1982 and continued to work part time for Reading Crane until 1985, when he fully retired after 43 years with the company in Reading and Pottstown. In retirement, John volunteered his services behind the scenes at Dans Restaurant for 15 years.

As with so many of his generation, John believed in a life of service - to his country, community, church and family. He was a past president of the former Industrial Management Club of Reading and served on the YMCA Religious Emphasis Committee. He was chaplain for Boy Scout Troop 147, Temple. John was a past president, chaplain and Leo Club advisor of the Muhlenberg Lions Club, where he was a recipient of the Melvin Jones and Bing Miller Fellow Awards.

In 2007, John was inducted into the Pennsylvania Voter Hall of Fame for having voted consecutively at every November Election for the last 50 years.

John remained active in the 106th Infantry Division Association. He served as president of the board of directors in 1970-1971 and as editor of The Cub, the association's magazine, and attended association reunions throughout the U.S.

In 1974, John was awarded the The Order of the Golden Lion for his contributions to the association. For many years, John organized an annual holiday dinner in Reading for regional members of the 106th. He was also active in the Reading Chapter of Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, having served as chaplain. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Lt. Gen. Hunter Liggett Post 38 and a 68-continuous-year member of American Legion Gregg Post 12. John was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans and of an Amputee Support Group at HealthSouth.

John was an active member of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, Reading. He served on church council and was recognized in 2000 for more than 18 years as superintendent and 54 years as teacher in the Sunday School.

John is survived by his wife, Stella; his daughter, Dr. Judith G. Winterhalter, wife of John P. Winterhalter, Lansdale; and his son, Daniel H. Gallagher, Reading. He is survived by his two grandsons, Brian J. Winterhalter, and his wife, Lindsay, Washington, DC; and Stephen A. Winterhalter, New York, NY. John was predeceased by his siblings; sisters Mary, Florence, Bette and Dorothy; and brothers Edward, William, and Eugene. He is survived by a brother-in-law, Walter N. LeVan Sr. and a sister-in-law, Marta Gallagher and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family expresses its gratitude to the staffs of Berkshire Commons, Berkshire Center, Visiting Angels, Life Choice Hospice and St. Joseph Medical Center for the compassionate care extended to John and his family during the past few years.

Services from Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 4th & Windsor Streets, Reading, Saturday, March 9, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Carolyn K. Hetrick and Rev. Charles E. Fair officiating. Interment Laureldale Cemetery. The family will receive friends in Bean Funeral Home, North 16th & Rockland Streets, Hampden Heights, Friday, March 8, 2013, from 6-8:00 p.m. and at the church on Saturday, March 9, 2013, from 8:30-9:45 a.m.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 421 Windsor Street, Reading, PA 19601 in memory of Mr. John I. Gallagher. Online condolences may be made at www.beanfuneralhomes.com.