Sheila C. Gallagher

COLUMBIA—A Mass of Christian Burial for Sheila C. Gallagher, 64 of Columbia, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 28, 2017 at Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church, 120 Marydale Lane, Columbia, SC 29210 with Father John Murrayofficiating.Visitation will be held on Friday, January 27, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Temples Halloran Funeral Home, 5400 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29212.Interment will be held on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Mt. Hope Cemetery, 100 Cherokee Road, Florence, SC 29501. Sheila Catherine Gallagher was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 27, 1952. Miss Gallagher is predeceased by her parents Francis John of Paisley, Scotland and Helen “Honey” Griffin of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Miss Gallagher taught in Florence School District One for thirty four years at Mc Clenaghan Jr., Wilson High and Williams Middle schools. Miss Gallagher graduated from McClenaghan High School in Florence.She attended Francis Marion College while graduating from Winthrop College.She went on to earn three master degrees: University of South Carolina-Columbia, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and Winthrop University. Sheila was a member of Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church in Columbia where she served as an Extraordinary Minister and on the Parish Council.She was also involved as a religious education teacher and Stephen minister at St. Anthony’s as well as an active member of the Legion of Mary at St. Ann’s where she worked with the “Food Pantry” in Florence. Sheila was a proud member of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina.She was a very active member of the Democratic Party, the Florence County Education Association-Retired, The South Carolina Education Association served in various offices including President, the Silver Hair Legislature served as Treasurer, and she served as an officer in the State Retirees Association of South Carolina.Miss Gallagher ran unsuccessfully for the SC House of Representatives in 2010 and Superintendent of Education in 2014.She really enjoyed the experience! She leaves behind one sister, Frances Mary (Casey) and brother-in-law Donald Fisher of Snellville, Georgia.She has one niece, Megan Helen, married to Jason Cheek and they have three children: two daughters, Olivia Helen and Evelyn Gloria, and one son, Merritt Roy of Homewood, Alabama. She has two nephews:Dr. Ryan Francis and his wife Kelly Fisher and they have one daughter, Wren Elizabeth of Cleveland, Ohio, and Reid Patrick and his wife, Katie Fisher of Mount Pleasant, SC. Memorials may be made in memory of Sheila to the St. Anne Catholic Church Building Fund, 113 S. Kemp Street, Florence, SC 29506 and/or make a donation to the Florence County Education Association-Retired Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 12411, Florence, SC29504-2411.