Mary Jane Gallagher

GREENWOOD—Family and friends will celebrate the life of Mary Jane Gallagher of Marion, Indiana. She went to be with her Lord and Savior on March 19, 2024, in Greenwood, Mississippi.

Funeral Services will be Saturday, April 13 at 11:00 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Greenwood, Mississippi, with internment following in Evergreen Cemetery in North Carrollton, Mississippi. Father Andrew Nguyen will officiate the services. Pallbearers will be Thomas Gallagher, O’Connor Smith, Sullivan Smith, Cage Charlet, Caleb Hardman, Nick Burtrum and Garrett Mulkey.

Janie was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on January 30, 1940, to Joseph Mateljan and Mary Kopco Mateljan. She was preceded in death by her parents, and sister, Shirley Bunn, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Janie is survived by her husband of 64 years, Jim Gallagher, Sr. Her sons Jim Gallagher, Jr. (Cissye)  Greenwood, Mississippi; Jeff Gallagher (Kim) Henderson, Nevada, and daughter Jackie Gallagher  Smith (Eddie) Jupiter, FL. Her adored grandchildren Thomas Gallagher (McKinley) Chattanooga,  Tennessee; O’Connor Smith, Jupiter, Florida; Sullivan Smith, Jupiter, Florida; Mary Langdon Hardman (Caleb) Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Kathleen Charlet (Cage), St Francisville, Louisiana; Elizabeth Gallagher, Nashville, Tennessee; Allison Gallagher Mulkey (Garrett), Henderson, Nevada; Meredith  Gallagher Burtrum (Nick) Scottsdale, Arizona. Great-Grandsons; Tommy Hardman, William  Hardman, Miles Hardman, “Jack” James Thomas Gallagher IV, Bennett Charlet.

She and Jim would move to Marion, Indiana, in 1961, where Jim would eventually become the head professional at Meshingomeshia Country Club. Janie was a beautiful and creative wife and mother that found much joy in the simple things of life. She was patient, kind and always made  homemaking look easy. She displayed a sacrificial love taking her place in the background allowing everyone else to shine. She was a great cook and enjoyed preparing meals out of her garden, as well as homemade pies from her own backyard blackberry bushes. Eating dinner around the Gallagher table as a family was a priority for Janie even if it meant having to wait for Jim, to get home. She and the children would eventually learn to play golf together, as she was hailed as their first instructor. In spite of all of the children’s golf success, it was her club championship win at Meshingomeshia Country Club that was the most celebrated win of the  Gallagher family. She and Jim raised their family to work and play hard six days a week and go to church and pray on the seventh.

She would spend the winters in Florida with her husband, traveling and watching all of her children play professional golf until moving to Greenwood in January of 2021. We are all so blessed to have had Janie in our lives. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Indywood Glen Personal Care and Grace Hospice for their excellent care.

Memorials may be made to Pete and Alice Dye Legacy Fund of the Indiana Golf Association in the memory of Mary Jane Gallagher. Indianagolf.org/donate.

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