ANN LOUISE ARTHUR GALLAGHER

Ann Louise Arthur Gallagher sailed into her heavenly home on Sunday, March 7, 2010. She was born in Arlington, Mass., on July 29, 1931. She received her bachelor's degree from Framingham State Teachers College in Framingham, Mass. She moved to Key West in January 1963. She graduated with her master's degree from Nova University. She was a teacher at Truman Elementary School and Douglass School, but most of her 29 years spent teaching were at Horace O'Bryant Junior High School teaching the sixth-graders. She served as a Guardian ad Litem, which was just another one of her many ways to show her dedication to children. She was a member of the Monroe County League of Women Voters. She was chairperson at the Unitarian Universalist Social Concerns Committee. Among her favorite volunteer activities was the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, where she served on the board. She enjoyed working in the soup kitchens at St. Mary's and later St. Bede's churches. She taught women creative writing at the Monroe County Detention Center through the Literacy Volunteers of America. She was president of the Key West Writers Guild and owner of Keys Literary Agency. She raced her yacht in the Fort Lauderdale to Key West race for many years and loved spending time at the Key West Yacht Club. She was a member of Ley Memorial United Methodist Church and later a member at the Key West Unitarian Universalist Church.

She is survived by her brothers, Robert Arthur of LaCrosse, Wis., and Richard Arthur of Connecticut; daughter, Amy Gallagher (Steve) Greenwood of Lakeland, Fla., and her sons, John A. Gallagher of Lakeland and Mark W. Gallagher of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is also survived by her beautiful granddaughters, Toni Beth Greenwood and Samantha Greenwood of Lakeland; grandsons, Stephen "Sonny" Greenwood and Lucas Greenwood; great-grandsons, Caleb Greenwood, Matthew Greenwood and Thomas Hill, of Lakeland; and great-granddaughter, Sienna Pachelli of New York. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Worthen Arthur and Helen Moore Arthur St. John; great-grandson Christopher Hadden; and much beloved granddaughter Cassie Anne Greenwood.

A memorial will be held in her honor at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 13, 2010, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship located at 801 Georgia St., Key West, Fla. Interment to follow. Please make donations to the Ann A. Gallagher Memorial Scholarship Fund at First State Bank of the Florida Keys in lieu of flowers.