Colleen Gallagher Sheppard

Colleen Gallagher Sheppard was born on April 8, 1954 and passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, on March 14, 2021. Colleen is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Ruth Gallagher, her sisters Mellen Sheppard and Ruth Iverson, her niece Brigid Sheppard and her nephew Kevin Gallagher. Colleen is survived by her husband Bob, children Natasha and Nicholai, siblings Maureen Dyer (Mike), Tim Gallagher (Juliette) and Brigid Pope (Wes), Brothers-in-law Bill Sheppard and Kris Iverson, nieces Nikki Rowney (Peter), Caroline Gallagher, Kelsey Calabro (Chris) and Erin Pope, nephews Ivan Iverson (Sanam), Samm Iverson (Megan), Kris Dyer (Ann), Ben Dyer (Brittany), Matthew Gallagher, Joe Pope, Patrick Gallagher and Michael Gallagher, grandnieces Madison Dyer, Charlotte Calabro, Carly Dyer and Sophia Calabro, grandnephews Mason and Austin Dyer and Wesley Calabro. A graduate of Langley High School, Catholic University (B.S. Economics), and George Washington University (MBA, MHA), Colleen was a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and served as a Health Care Executive in the Department of Veterans Affairs and later as a Health Care Consultant at Booz, Allen and Hamilton. After one date, Colleen and Bob were engaged and were married for 40 years. They traveled the world together – including a trip to Russia to adopt Natasha and Nicholai. Colleen was a loving mother, aunt and great aunt. Each year at Christmas, she hosted the larger family for “dirty Santa.” Her nephews and nieces loved her “cousins weeks” and her grand-nephews and grand-nieces loved their “Coco.” Outside of work and family, Colleen was always generous with her time, serving in Arlington Public School PTAs, teaching religious education at St. Anne’s Catholic church, and working as a volunteer at the Virginia Hospital Center. She loved music (especially the Beatles), golf, reading, travel and the beach. If you would like to make a contribution in her memory to the ACLU, she would smile down at you for it. An open house in celebration of her life will be held at her home in Arlington on April 10th from 2 to 8pm. If you need directions, please contact Bob at [email protected]. Formal services and inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery will follow at a later date to be determined.