Karen Marie Gallagher

March 15, 1954 - January 10, 2021

Karen Marie Gallagher (Laskowski) passed away Sunday, January 10, 2021 at Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD after a valiant fight against COVID-19, surrounded by her loving husband and children. Born March 15, 1954 in Wilmington, DE to the late Ellen Gerres Laskowski and Frederick J. Laskowski, Karen was predeceased by her in-laws Andrew P. Gallagher Sr. and Loretta Sloane Gallagher, and brother-in-law E. Mark Tigani, Jr. She is survived by her husband, Andrew (Chip) Gallagher of Stevensville, MD, her children Brianna Gallagher and her husband, Kyle McKillop of Burtonsville, MD, and Colin Gallagher and his wife, Erica of Chester, MD; siblings Fred Laskowski and his wife, Theresa of San Diego, CA, Steve Laskowski and his wife, Christine of Newark, DE, Patti Tigani of Smyrna, DE, Rose Wessells and her husband, Craig of Wilmington, DE; nieces and nephews Jennifer Talley (Chris), Lindsay Maiorano (Domenic), Craig Laskowski (Dana), Eric Laskowski, Jess Vodzak (Chris), Mackenzie Lewis, Sean Tigani (Meline), Mark Tigani, Gina Tigani, Rachel Wessells; grand nieces and nephews Conner and Josh Talley, Vincent, Adalyn, and Santino Maiorano; in addition to numerous extended family members. Karen graduated from St. Ann’s Catholic School and Wilmington High School. At the University of Delaware, she studied high school English education. She was a highly regarded bookkeeper and administrator whose skill was valued wherever she worked including Wilmington Trust, M-Bank, the Brandywine Raceway, and Shop ‘n Bag. She fondly remembers sharing two of these jobs with her father, working side-by-side and bonding with him in the money room of the racetrack. Additionally, Karen was a certified graphoanalyst and put her talents to work identifying forgeries at her banking jobs. She loved analyzing her friends’ and families’ personality traits through their handwriting strokes, and over the years, her kids’ teachers often joked that they were afraid to send handwritten notes home lest she discover something about them! Her most cherished role of all, however, was being a mother, and Karen savored the time she had with her beloved children, nieces, and nephews. Karen was ever present at her childrens’ schools, volunteering as homeroom mom or field trip chaperone whenever she had the chance. She never missed an event, performance, recital, game, or presentation, and relished spending time with her family. Her children always knew she was there for them, and this special, close bond continued into adulthood. She spoke with her children daily and enjoyed a deep friendship and connection with them as adults. An avid gardener, Karen could grow anything, anywhere. She surrounded her home with beautiful plants; no one questioned whether she was the best person to ask for advice about what to grow in a certain spot or how to save a sick plant. Her kids even called her garden “The Jungle” because of the breadth of vegetation adorning every inch of ground. She loved to travel and especially enjoyed tropical beach destinations. Karen coordinated many group cruises all over the world and had a particular love of the beauty and magic of Hawai’i. She felt a special connection to its culture and religion through her dear ‘ohana, and felt most at home among the banyan trees, pikake, and tuberose. Karen loved all forms of art, music, and dance, but had a particular love of the written word. She could devour 5-6 books per week, and had eclectic taste, ranging from detective novels to astrology, classic literature to the metaphysical. She particularly enjoyed poetry, and would often share favorite verses with her beloved cousin Judy. This offered great comfort as she grieved the loss of her mother, who died only eight months ago of the same terrible virus. To know Karen was to catch her singing to herself while driving or cooking, usually to a classic oldies record. You would hear her infectious laughter three rooms away and begin laughing yourself. You would sit next to her at a party, because her Irish storytelling style meant her stories would get more and more embellished as the night went on. You would open your door to a surprise gift, because she just had to give you that amaryllis that she knew would bring joy, a sack of oranges because you once said they were your favorite, or a piece of artwork with a saying that just spoke to her. You would receive an unexpected card in the mail with a sentimental, funny, or even inappropriate saying that made her giggle. You would hear her call you by your childhood nickname because it was how she first knew and loved you. Your “quick” phone calls turned into hours, as she delighted in the time she had to talk with you. Her love was relentless, absolute, and unconditional- she had a way of making you feel needed, included, seen, and adored. Her friendships were for life, and being her friend (or her children’s friends) meant you were a part of her family. Her untimely death has left a scar on the hearts of all who knew her, and she would want us to hold each other tenderly and tell stories of love and laughter. Per CDC regulations, an in-person memorial is not safe at this time. Her family plans for a wonderful service that will honor her memory and spirit, and will reach out when it is safe to do so with further details.