Bill & Ethel Gallagher - Meritorious Service

Without fanfare but not without notice, Bill and Ethel Gallagher have always supported Glendale Community College. “Will to serve”, Bill said, when asked why years and years after their last child attended the “school on the hill’’ they continued to be part of committees, supporters of events and be an integral part of what is great about the college.

Truth be told, the Gallagher family and their fifty year association with the college is a very important part of the fabric of the school’s history. They moved to Glendale in 1951 and to the house on Hermosita Dr. in 1960. Bill and Ethel flew into town in a small plane from New York with John and Bill Jr. in tow and a Dalmatian dog that Bill insisted on not leaving behind even though it didn’t have a cage.

The dog incident was typical of “The Colonel” as Bill was known. A proud military man, he was steadfast in his beliefs and determined to follow order, even in his own home. The children would stand at attention before leaving for mass on Sunday’s and the boys would be made to march up and down the stairs several times if they happened to forget to wear the coat and tie that was part of the required dress code.

But just ask Bill Jr., Clay, Craig, Pam, Damian or Robert or any of the 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and life didn’t get any better than growing up as a Gallagher. All seven of the children attended Glendale College, a rarity in any family, even though any of the kids could have attended four-year schools out of high school. “We always felt very comfortable with the school and loved the atmosphere,’’ said Ethel Gallagher. “They all did well there in the classroom and they had a chance to play sports or do anything they wanted. There was never a question that they would not go to the college and they never asked why.’’

Besides being a charter member of the Foundation that started in 1983 and the hall of fame committee, Bill was a big part of the annual Foundation golf tournament   that that started off as a football fundraising event in the 1970’s and was taken over by the college in the 1980’s. Bill and the Gallagher boys have been entrenched as players in the tournament since the beginning playing with their dad and supporting the college.

Ethel for her part has been a longtime member of the college’s Patron’s Club, which raises money for scholarships for students, and even worked part-time in admissions many years ago.  But like any good family matriarch, Ethel’s primary job was to support husband and her children and now grand and great–grandchildren and she has done so with a passion and energy that belies her 85 years, which she celebrated at a recent birthday party in typical Gallagher family fashion.

“Bill had talked about retiring for many years and we thought he might actually do it several years ago but then he started the website, www.glendalesportscenter.com and we were off again on a new adventure,’’ Ethel said about Bill who passed away last year. “I was sitting on benches watching our kids and others play sports for something like 32 years and I was doing it again for Bill because he wanted to give local athletes more exposure and he did it.’’

In honoring Bill and Ether tonight for their years and years of meritorious service to Glendale College, it doesn’t seem enough to say thank you. It might say more to continue their good work just because it is the right thing to do.

Will to serve indeed.