Edward Allan Gallagher

Edward Allan Gallagher, age 68, of Arlington, Virginia passed away surrounded by his beloved family on Friday, May 13, 2022 after a brave battle with cancer. Edward was born March 29, 1954 in San Antonio, Texas. After attending Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, Ed subsequently graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1976 with a major in Russian studies, and earned his Masters Degree in International Studies from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. During his military career, he attained command pilot status with over 4,500 hours in the C-130 transport and KC-135 air refueling aircraft. He commanded several combat flying units, conducting numerous world-wide operations and was a senior planner and mission commander in Somalia in 1992-93 and Haiti in 1994. In his additional role as an international political-military officer, he was a military liaison to Soviet forces in East Germany during the height of the Cold War in 1983-85, senior European Command Officer for NATO enlargement at the beginning of its expansion eastward in 1996-98, Czech and Slovak Country Director at the Office of the Secretary of Defense in 2001; he was present there during the terrorist attack on September 11. He concluded his military career in 2006, as the Defense and Air Attaché to the Czech Republic, retiring at the rank of Colonel after 30 years of service. He was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. Given the chance to subsequently work in a lucrative position in the private sector, Ed chose instead to continue to serve his country as a Foreign Service Officer at the US State Department in 2007, serving honorably for over 11 years. Most recently, he was the Director of the Embassy Branch Office Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina and most proud of his contributions to that country remaining at peace. Prior to that, he was Director of the Embassy Branch Office in Douala, Cameroon, working closely with democratic forces in that country as well as shipping agent responsibilities for four regional Embassies. At his posting in Paris as a consular officer, Ed directed the Special American Citizen Services unit, always focused on quickly solving unusual issues and problems faced by American tourists, business people, and the large ex-pat community there. He gladly volunteered to serve in the political-military section at Embassy Baghdad during combat "surge" operations in 2007-08, taking advantage of his extensive military experience. In final thoughts passed to his family, he considered himself to be an extremely lucky man having fulfilled the dreams of two or three lifetimes: a wonderful and loving family, successful children in their own careers, military service as an Air Force Pilot, and a distinguished career as a diplomat albeit cut too short by his cruel disease. He died with very few regrets about this life worth living. Ed is survived by his beloved wife, Julie (Ruffing) Gallagher; children, Matthew and Caitlin "Katie" Gallagher; and his sisters, Jeannine Ross (Gene) and Shirley Kelly Mart (Wally). A Funeral Service for Ed will be held on Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Murphy Funeral Home, located at 4510 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Prior to his death, Ed requested that in lieu of flowers, donations could be sent to Life with Cancer INOVA, The Colorectal Cancer Alliance, or Fight CRC (all linked below) so that we can find a cure for this terrible disease, against which we are so close.