neil ignatius gallagher, m.d. died an ironic death. after dedicating his life to serving patients who were terminally ill with cancer, the very disease took his life. he was a courageous man who taught me a number of invaluable lessons. the first, that giving the gift of compassion is one of the greatest ways we serve others and, second, we must laugh at ourselves and at those we love. just recently, when i told my grandpa that i'm taking a class called the philosophy of suffering and solidarity, he responded by asking me if i wanted him to be a guest speaker...afterall, his entire life he accompanied those who suffer. and, just a few weeks before his death, he sent me two articles to read about the value of suffering. One quote in particular spoke to his ability to walk with those who suffer, it reads, "Not everyone who suffers experiences the flow of compassion, but those who do become more understanding and generous human beings." Passion implies suffering and my grandpa's shared experience of suffering showed how beautifully human suffering and the gift of compassion can be.
my grandpa loved life in a different way than most people do. he loved the consolation and goodness found in great food, BBQ, nature, foot rubs, family and hard work. but my grandpa loved the consolation and goodness found in suffering and compassion innate to life. he loved the goodness found in accompanying and serving those who needed his help most. very few people blossom in giving the gift of compassion quite like my grandpa did.
and finally, a few years ago, when i returned from my first semester at santa clara, he jokingly called me a communist and couldn't believe that the same jesuits who had taught him to be so rational and wise had taught me to be such a socialist liberal. we always shared good laughs, we will always share good love.
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A beloved husband, brother, father and grandfather, and highly respected physician, educator and researcher passed away after a courageous battle with a chronic blood disorder. Neil Ignatious Gallagher, M.D., a St. Louis University educated and trained hematologist-oncologist, spent his entire professional career devoted to the education and training of medical students and physicians in the St. Louis region. He was 81.
Dr. Gallagher was born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 12, 1926 to Francis Joseph Gallagher, M.D. and Frieda Marion Gallagher (nee Dresp). He grew up in Tucson, Arizona, earning a BS in Biology from Santa Clara University (1947), an MA ED from the University of Arizona (1951) and his MD from St. Louis University School of Medicine (154).
Dr. Gallagher lived his life in the true Jesuit tradition, the tradition that his four uncles and his brother Frank Gallagher, S.J. exemplified: Dr. Gallagher was truly a man for others, committing himself wholly during his 40-year career to the art of healing and providing quality healthcare to the sick and their families, and compassionate, palliative care to the dying. Dr. Gallagher continued to visit his sick and dying friends even while terminally ill himself.
Dr. Gallagher worked at: St. Louis Veterans Administration Hospital-Physician, 1955-86. Associate Chief of Staff, Research 1963-66. Chief of Medicine 1966-68, 1973-74. Chief of Staff, 1973-74.
St. Louis University Group Hospitals-Staff Physician and Instructor 1959-70. Professor in Internal Medicine 1970-86. Vice-Chair Dept. of Internal Medicine 1970-73. Emeritus Professor Internal Medicine 1986-94.
St. Mary's Health Center, St. Louis, MO., 1959-94. Section head of medical hematology and oncology and associate in medical education, 1986-94. Teacher of the Year House Staff Award 1987.
Dr. Gallagher was a member of numerous professional organizations and recipient of many awards during his professional career. Most notably he was a member of: the American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, the American Society of Hematology-Emeritus status, the Society of Internal Medicine, and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) national medical honor society. He was the recipient of the 1991 John Krey III Memorial Award for outstanding clinical efforts in cancer control in the Missouri Metropolitan St. Louis area.
He is survived by his wife Pat, his four children Mary Pat, Terry, Peggy, Neil and their spouses, his eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, his three sisters, and his mother-in-law.
Dr. Gallagher will always be remembered for his compassionate healthcare, his quick wit, his love of nature and his beautifully manicured gardens.
Hold the physician in honor, for they are essential to you, and God it was who established this profession. From God the doctor is given their wisdom. Sirach 38: 1-3
Dr. Gallagher requested contributions be made to three of he and Pat's favorite organizations: The Franciscan Sisters of Mary, The Retired Jesuits-Missouri Province, and The Little Sisters of the Poor.
