Obituary of Therese Gallagher Gallo

Therese Gallagher Gallo formerly of Sparta, NJ passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at Mercerville Center Nursing Home in Mercerville, NJ. She was 90 years old. Therese was born on January 14, 1928 in Teaneck, NJ to the late Charles and Helen (Morley) Gallagher. Mrs. Gallagher Gallo spent her career working for Bell Atlantic as a Systems Analyst and later taught English at the college level. At age 62, she got her (long desired) braces off and perfected her smile. At age 63, Therese graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fairleigh Dickenson University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. At age 65, she retired from the phone company and began her world tour alone and mostly with a backpack. Therese journeyed to all seven continents on Earth because she wanted to and because she could! She danced with penguins and polar bears in Antarctica and celebrated her 70th birthday in Namibia, Africa with a group of young people she planned to teach English to for one year. A paralyzing virus brought her back to the U.S. and since she "never went to the same place twice"; instead she got her dual citizenship in Ireland and traveled to Italy and Sicily with her daughter Debi. She trekked to the Arctic in hopes of seeing the Aurora Borealis and finally settled down after speaking to Pope Benedict XVI in Latin. Therese is survived by her devoted daughter, Debi Gallo Ciavolella, her cherished grandchildren, Caitlin Magargee, Phillip and Nicholas Gallo, her great grandchildren, Patrick and Sean Gallo Magargee and daughter-in-law Sharon Gallo. She was pre-deceased by her children, Bruce and Dawn Gallo and sister Virginia Gallagher. Her family hopes Celtic music will forever play in her next life! Therese's Life Celebration Services will include a party, which she insisted on, to be announced at a later date. All services were entrusted to the Leber-Lakeside Funeral Home of Landing, NJ. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local animal shelter.