Dorothy Gallagher

Dorothy Cleary-Gallagher, 93, Overland Park, KS, made her journey home on April 14, 2023 after a 13 year battle with Alzheimer’s.

Dorothy was born on May 20, 1929 to John R. and Mary S. (Perry) Cleary in St. Joseph, Mo and was the great-great Granddaughter of Joseph Robidoux, founder of the city of St. Joseph, Mo. She attended Sacred Heart High School in St. Joseph. Dorothy moved to Kansas City in the 1950’s and took a job at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. She was the first woman to get her CPU at Metropolitan life. She worked at Metropolitan headquarters in NYC for 5 years and was nicknamed “Dorothy from Kansas” by her coworkers. In 1974’s she met coworker Edward Gallagher, who was recently widowed and had a daughter, Julia. Dorothy and Edward started dating and fell in love and married in 1976.

Dorothy was an avid golfer and a talented artist. She was a huge KC Royals fan and always watched every game on TV. She was an even bigger KC Chiefs fan. Dorothy was loved by all the staff at Village Shalom and was quite the character. When she needed something, she would whistle so loud that the whole place could hear it! On a warm day this past February, while sitting with family and staff outside on the screened in porch, Dorothy referred to herself as the “Wild Secret Lady” which promptly became her new nickname with the staff.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Gallagher, her parents, John and Mary Sylvanie Cleary, siblings, Mary Frances Roberts, Jack Cleary, twin brother, Fr. Donald Cleary, Robert “Bob” Cleary and Genevieve “Jenny” Cleary. She leaves behind daughter Julia and her husband Ken Laster, grandchildren Natasha Hart and Rachel Fine and their husbands Aaron and Quinton respectively. Great-grandchildren, Emma, Riley, Taven, Anthea, Emery, and Sloan; nieces Peggy (Christy) Roberts, Casey Rausch, nephew Patrick Cleary, and many other nieces and nephews.

On behalf of the family, we would like to recognize the staff of Layton House at Village Shalom for the amazing job in care for the residents under their supervision. Thank you for treating Dorothy like family it meant the world to us.

Services will be held at St. Thomas More in Kansas City, MO on May 15, 2023. The rosary service will be at 9:30 AM followed by the funeral mass at 10:00 AM, all are welcome. Dorothy’s final resting place will be at Mount Olivet in St. Joseph, MO following the service. 

In lieu of flowers, the family would warmly welcome contributions to Village Shalom,

www.villageshalom.org/donate/memorialsandtributes, in memory of Dorothy Gallagher or to the Memory Support, Layton House – Arts and Entertainment budget.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dorothy Gallagher, please visit our floral store.