Obituary of Dorothea Gallagher

Dorothea “Dot” Marie Gallagher, 99, of Leesburg, VA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at Sunrise Senior Living Reston Town Center. 

Born on August 20, 1919 in Boston, MA, she was the daughter of the late Prodocimo and Louise Lievi of Boston, MA.  She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 71 years, Leo Jerome Gallagher who passed away in 2010.   Dot and Leo were married in August 1939.

Dot was the youngest of eight children.  She grew up Boston and attended St Gregory’s Parish School and Dorchester High School.  Dot and Leo met and fell in love when Dot was just 16 years old.  They married 3 years later and had their first born in 1940.  Twenty years later, they had their second child.  In 1960, they moved to Weymouth MA and then to Hingham MA in 1967.  Dot and Leo moved to Leesburg VA in 1988 and finally settled in Ashburn VA until Dot moved into Sunrise Senior Living in November 2019.

Dot and Leo loved to travel and made yearly trips across the country to enjoy the beautiful California weather during the winter months.  Dot was a fabulous cook, devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.  She loved her family more than anything.

Dot is survived by her son, Leo Eugene Gallagher, of Glen Arm, MD and her daughter, Dorothea Evelyn Sutton, of Reston, VA.  She had six loving grandchildren: Jennifer Julian of Malvern, PA; Leo Eugene Gallagher, Jr, of Baltimore, MD; Cassandra Matos of Reston VA; Nicholas Sutton of Falls Church, VA, Amy Sutton of Arlington, VA and Alexander Sutton of Reston, VA.  Dot adored her great grandchildren; Grace and Jake Julian of Malvern, PA; Lyla and Juliana Matos of Reston, VA and Leo Sutton of Falls Church Va.

The family will have a private memorial ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Dot’s memory to:  Little Sisters of the Poor, 186 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143-1507 Phone: 617-776-4420

https://littlesistersofthepoorboston.weshareonline.org/index.aspx