Constance “Connie” Gallagher
Constance “Connie” A. (Wild) Gallagher, 83, of Waukon passed away peacefully July 23, 2022 after a courageous battle. Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 28 at 1 p.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, both in Waukon. Per Connie’s wishes, there will be no viewing but family and friends may greet the family from 11 a.m. until time of services at the church Thursday. Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.
Connie was born May 20, 1939 in La Crosse, WI, the daughter of Milton and Genevieve (Guider) Wild. She attended Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Lansing and graduated in 1957. In school, Connie participated in the school play, basketball and cheerleading. After graduation, Connie attended the Humbolt Institute in Minneapolis, MN, graduated and began working at North Central airlines.
While back in Lansing on a Sunday morning in 1959, visiting with friends outside of a café in Lansing, Connie met the future love of her life. After much convincing from Robert Gallagher, Connie reluctantly agreed to go out on a date and as the old saying goes, ‘the rest is history’. July 29, 1961, she married Robert. They were blessed with three children: Shawn, Craig and Michelle.
Connie was a homemaker, loving wife and mother. She helped her husband, Bob, doing all the bookkeeping and accounting for the family auto body repair business. She also volunteered at the local hospital for many years.
In her spare time, Connie enjoyed cruising around with Bob in antique and classic cars in parades, spending time with her parents, family, the kids and grandkids, friends, on the river, camping, bowling, card club, winters in Arizona, and golf with ‘the girls’ with time at the club after. All of these were priceless
memories. Connie’s true passion was anything crafty and creative. She started a ceramics business, crocheted, knit, made custom jewelry and Christmas cards and ornaments - she was incredibly talented and creative.
Connie enjoyed a challenging crossword book and jigsaw puzzle too. Her creativity also took her to the kitchen. She would spend hours making and decorating Christmas cookies - which always looked too good to eat.
Connie was a passionate homemaker, most proud of her children and grandchildren whom she treasured spending every minute with, as well as her sister, Patti, and Joe, all of the extended relatives and friends. She will be greatly missed by all.
She is survived by her children and grandchildren: Shawn (Tina) Gallagher of Cedar Rapids, and their children Chase and Corbin (fiancée Sarah Potter); Craig (Annette) Gallagher of Solon, and their children Taite (fiancée Cassidy Powell) and Paige; and Michelle Bakke of Lisbon, and her children Justin, Jordin (Hannah) and Jenna. Connie was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Owen and Emilia Bakke. Connie is preceded in death by her husband, Robert, who died in 2017; her parents, Mit and Gen; and her sister, Patti, who died in 2019.
Pallbearers will be Connie’s grandchildren. Per Connie’s wishes, and never shying away from a party, a celebration of life will be held in Spring of next year, her favorite time of year.
