Edward J. Gallagher

Edward Gallagher

Edward J. Gallagher, 79, of Jekyll Island, Ga., and formerly of Burlington, Vt., died on Jan. 3, 2022, from natural causes.

Ed was born in New Haven, Conn., and at age 10 moved with his family to Vermont. He graduated from Burlington High School and the University of Vermont, where he was on the basketball and golf teams. After graduation, he joined the CPA firm of Laforrest "Tommy" Thompson, Bob Kelly and Stu Jacobs, all of whom were great mentors and friends. Ed particularly enjoyed working with entrepreneurs and family businesses. He was a caring role model and mentor for many who worked at the firm. Today the firm is known as Gallagher, Flynn and Co., with offices in South Burlington, Vt., and Lebanon, N.H. After 40 years of dedicated service and leadership, Ed retired in 2005.

Ed continued to play men's league basketball until age 50 and remained a passionate fan of the UVM Catamounts. Ed's other lifelong passion was golf. He was a long-time member of Burlington Country Club, where he played most summer weekends with a convivial group of friends. Golf provided many father-son bonding opportunities as Ed's sons learned the game from him and worked as his caddy in Burlington and at out-of-town tournaments. Ed also introduced his sons to the sport of skiing, which continues to be a shared passion for the three of them.

Active in the community throughout his life, Ed served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations and volunteered his time and expertise as a mentor to small business operators through the SCORE organization, which helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

Ed and his late wife, Pam Savely, wintered on Jekyll Island for several years and then moved to the island full-time in 2013. On Jekyll, Ed enjoyed spending time with his many friends, playing golf and bocce, and walking his dogs, Midnight and Beaux, on the beach.

Survivors include sons, Chris of Victor, Idaho, Bob (Sue) of Atlanta, Ga., and John of Rossland, B.C.; two grandchildren, Emily and Jack; and sisters, Mary Cosgrove of Burlington, Vt., and Joan Whitney of Laconia, N.H. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Debbie Beckman, of Westerville, Ohio; and his former wife and mother of his children, Jill Aiken, of Colchester, Vt.

He was predeceased by his wife, Pam Savely in 2018.

At Ed's request, there will be no formal services but instead a gathering of friends and family to celebrate his life will be planned at a future date.

Family-placed obituary

The Brunswick News, January 12, 2022