Obit: Gallagher, James David (1941 - 1961)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Gallagher, Portz, Naedler, Bramble, Schneider, Aspen, Korth, Reitz, Lindow, Meyer, Hansen, LeSount, Pickering, LeBerge, Wagner, Reese, Kruenmenauer, Berhoetz, Galow, Rupnick, Huber, Tabalaske, Petten, Mehlman, Gudden, Bauer, Belongie, Suckow, Pierce, Sanger, Mahoney, Grimm, McCormick

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) May 25, 1961

Gallagher, James David (5 October 1941 - 21 May 1961)

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) from Immanuel Evangelical United Brethren Church in Chili for James David Gallagher, 19, with the Rev. L. L. McCormick in charge.  Burial will be made in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. David Gallagher, James drowned Sunday afternoon in a canoeing accident in Marl Lake, near Waupaca.  A barber in Oshkosh, he was with a group of Oshkosh State College students participating in a post-prom outing when the accident occurred.

Witnesses said that Gallagher was paddling the canoe across the lake when it capsized.  He was unable to swim, but made an effort to reach the canoe, which contained a life preserver. The boat floated out of his reach.

The body was recovered about an hour later by officers of the Waupaca County Sheriff’s department.

A native of Neillsville, James had been in Oshkosh since April, 1960, as an apprentice barber. Following his graduating from Marshfield High School in 1959, he attended a barber school in Denver, Colo., and accepted the employment in Oshkosh on his return from there.

He was born October 5, 1941.  His parents, David and Mabel (Portz) Gallagher, live on Rt. 1, Granton.  James attended the Pine Circle School.

Surviving in addition to his parents are a sister, Mrs. William (Patricia) Naedler of Rt. 1 Granton; and two brothers, Thomas, who is with the army in Germany, and Michael, at home.

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) June 1, 1961

Funeral services were held Thursday for James David Gallagher, 19, Oshkosh, formerly of Granton, who lost his life by drowning May 21, in the Chain-of-Lakes, near Waupaca.  The Rev. L. L. McCormick officiated at services from the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chili, and burial was made in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

Pallbearers were: Bill Wagner, Roger Sanger, Donald Mahoney, Don Schneider, Kurt Aspen and Jim Korth.

"Beyond the Sunset" and "Nearer My God to Thee" were played by Mrs. Helen Grimm on the organ.

People from out of town here for the services were: Mr. and Mrs. George Bramble, Janesville; Don Schneider, Kurt Aspen, Jim Korth, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Reitz, Charles Lindow, Bernard Meyer, and Fay Hansen, Marshfield; Tom Gallagher, U. S. Army, Germany; Rev. James M. LeSount, Norwalk; Mrs. David Pickering, Louie LeBerge, D. L. Pickering, Bob Wagner, Sheldon; Miss Josephine Reese, Miss Karen Kruenmenauer, Ray Schnieder, William Berhoetz, Dianne Galow, James Rupnick, Sherry Huber, Mary Tabalaske, Judy Petten, Sue Mehlman, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Gudden, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gudden, Mr. and Mrs. Greg Bauer, Phil Belongie, Janet Suckow, Mrs. Elden Galow, and Mrs. Ray Patten, all of Oshkosh; and William pierce, Wisconsin Rapids.

Others attending were relatives and friends from Neillsville, Granton and Chili.