James Jerome Gallagher OBITUARY

James Jerome Gallagher OBITUARY

James Jerome Gallagher (Jim) 69 years old, passed away at his residence in Hollywood, Florida on November 27, 2025. Jim was born in Gary, Indiana to Robert Jerome Gallagher and Lee (Olivieri) Gallagher on July 5, 1956. He graduated from Holy Angels grade school in 1970 and Andrean high school in 1974, Indiana University Bloomington with a B.S. in Accounting in 1979 and University of Miami law school with a J.D. in 1982.

After his graduation from University of Miami, Jim passed the Florida bar exam and began his career in private practice as an insurance defense litigator.

As a young man Jim enjoyed sports, particularly playing ice hockey on any frozen pond around Northwest Indiana, and most evenings in the winter months, he and his friends would hit multiple locations. While at Andrean high school, he was a member of the 1972, 1973 and 1974 championship Griffins hockey team, which played in South Bend, Indiana. A former teammate described Jim as a fierce competitor who was determined. Jim also played football at both Holy Angels and Andrean.

Jim remained active later in life. He was an avid runner and enjoyed lifting weights at the Hollywood YMCA. When his sons were young, he cherished playing driveway basketball with them, and teaching them the finer point of billiards. Jim also loved cheering for Indiana University basketball, and recently football, Miami Hurricanes football, and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Learning was a lifelong passion for Jim. He was an avid reader, and he relished wandering the stacks of the local Florida libraries. Jim acted as our family’s Google information source before Google existed.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Lee Gallagher, and he is survived by his loving wife Suzanne (Pemper) Gallagher, his two sons, Michael Ryan Gallagher (Serena Angel) and Jack Anthony Gallagher, his sister Lisa Gallagher (Joseph McKenna) of Bloomington, Indiana, his many cousins, and by the many friends he established throughout his life with whom he remained in constant contact.

A celebration of Jim’s life will be scheduled at a future date. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to: YMCA of South Florida- Hollywood YMCA, in memory of Jim Gallagher in the memo section, 3161 Taft St. Hollywood, FL 33021