Vincent Boniface Gallagher was born on September 15, 1936 to William and Helen [Seipp] Gallagher in Crosby, North Dakota.
Vincent was next to the youngest in a family of ten children. He had eight brothers and one sister. Vincent attended school in Crosby, North Dakota and enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17. After completing basic training, Vincent was assigned to the U.S.S. Bennington aircraft carrier located at the New York Naval Shipyard. He would spend the next three years going on numerous cruises aboard the U.S.S. Bennington.
Vince was stationed on a 3 inch gun mount for his combat duties, helped maintain the aircraft carrier, as well as being on the bridge of the ship steering it through the sea between its destinations. Vince often would share stories about his Navy travels with his family and friends.
The U.S.S. Bennington participated in several Naval and Marine Corp. exercises while at sea. The ship took Vince to locations like Japan and Australia. He crossed the equator and International Date Line where he would be initiated and considered a “Golden Shellback”. He also had the opportunity to meet and have his photo taken with Marilyn Monroe.
Vince served on active duty from May 1954 until September of 1957. He was Honorably Discharged from the United States Navy in May 1962, and was a Veteran of the Korean Conflict.
After Vincent left the Navy, he returned to his hometown of Crosby and eventually went to work for a Seismograph company. The Seismograph crew worked on projects in North Dakota, Montana, and Colorado. This job brought Vincent to Yuma, Colorado in December of 1958.
Vincent met the love of his life Betty Lou Aagesen while working in Yuma. He decided to stay in the Yuma area, when the crew moved to another project.
Vincent married Betty Aagesen on April 18, 1959 at the Saint John’s Catholic Church located in Yuma. To this union three children were born: Juliana Marie, Catherine Ann, and Steven Patrick.
Vincent spent the next six and a half years working in the plumbing and heating industry in the Yuma and Wray area. In 1966, Vincent went to work for the Yuma Police Department. He served the community as a police officer and later went to being a radio dispatcher for the police department. He provided janitorial services to many of the City Buildings during this time, until he retired from the City of Yuma in 1998.
Vincent passed away March 24, 2024 at his home in Yuma, Colorado with his family by his side.
Vincent was preceded in death by his wife Betty and daughter Juliana; parents William and Helen; siblings Anthony, Daniel, Joseph, Emmanuel, Cletus, Winnafred, James, Charles, and Bernard.
Vincent is survived by his daughter Catherine Hoffman, his son and daughter in-law Steven and Carin Gallagher, his 8 grandchildren [Rebecca, Nicholas, Mikel, David, Jacob, Patricia, Felicia, and Nicholis] as well as his 11 great grandchildren.