John Gallagher Obituary

John David Gallagher
August 15, 1953 – June 29, 2025
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved brother, John David Gallagher, who left us on June 29, 2025. Born August 15, 1953, in Manhattan, New York. John David was the son of the late John Gallagher and Joan Mina Rich Gallagher Dewell, and the stepson of Dr. Jay Vickers Dewell Sr. (late) and Tordis Hollenbach Dewell.
John David was a true Renaissance man with a wide range of interests. As a student at Cobleskill High School, he excelled in both athletics and academics. He was the captain of the football team and the salutatorian of his senior class. He went on to attend Haverford College in Pennsylvania and the University of California at Santa Cruz, where he studied Political Science and Physics. Later in life, he also attended Brockport to pursue a coaching certificate. His pursuit of knowledge never ended. He was an eternal student, perpetually engaged with new ideas, theories, and history, particularly military history. He was also a wonderful musician, playing his own beautiful creations on the piano.
Our brother loved to walk. He walked miles each day and made many friends along the way. His daily routine reflected the things he enjoyed. He began most mornings by purchasing a newspaper and with a keen analytical mind, he would pull out the sports section, poring over box scores and game recaps. He would conduct his own in-depth statistical analysis before sharing the rest of the paper with his regular crew at Burger King, where he enjoyed the camaraderie. A lover of books, he then stopped at Catnap Books, where he would browse the shelves and chat with the owners, usually leaving with a book or two to add to his collection. He also made frequent visits to both the local library and the SUNY Cobleskill library. Ever the scholar, he found joy in taking continuing education courses, both credit courses at the college and non-credit courses through SUNY Cobleskill's SCHOOL (Schoharie County Home of Ongoing Learning).
John David cherished spending time with family. As the eldest sibling, he was always supportive and encouraging of our efforts and achievements, and just as steadfast and nonjudgmental during our most challenging moments. Our brother was a gentle soul, and he will be deeply missed.
We are grateful for the kindness of friends and strangers who supported him on his journey.
John David Gallagher is survived by his aunt, Elizabeth Dewell (Connie); his uncle, Robert Dewell (Anne), his siblings, Susan Gallagher, Dennis Gallagher (Martha), Jay Dewell (Connie), and Sarah Dewell (Ken Moore); his stepmother, Tordis Hollenbach Dewell; his stepsisters, Heidi Wall (Scott) and Carolyn Winter (Scott); his nieces and nephews, Julia Ilowiecki, Rebecca Ilowiecki (Karl Miemis), Jake Ilowiecki (Liz), Meaghan Gallagher, MacKenzie Philbert (Brian), Ryan Dewell (Lauren), Corey Walton (Amanda), Leithe Morey, Arielle Morey (Bob Kubiak), Landen Moore, Kenny Moore (Justine), Kimberly Smith (Andrew), Evan Dickens (Chelsea), Jared Wall, Sierra Wall, and his grandnieces and grandnephews, Oskar Miemis, Fredriks Miemis, Wren Ilowiecki, Colton Elkins, Carson Philbert, Kennedy Philbert, Amelia Philbert, Arya Morey-Heck, Colton Kubiak, Natalie Dickens, and Caleb Dickens, and many cousins.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday, July 27, 2025, from 1:00-2:00 pm with a Celebration of Life following at 2:00 pm at the Cobleskill Methodist Church, 107 Chapel Street, Cobleskill, New York. Burial will take place in Cobleskill Rural Cemetery at a later date.
Arrangements were entrusted to Mereness-Putnam Funeral Home