Obituary for Ellen Lou Gallagher (Brownmiller)
A light went out of the lives of many with the passing of Ellen Lou Gallagher on May 16, 2023, at her home in Flying Hills.
She was a teacher, student, artist, musician, playwright, quilter, and almost an astronaut when she was a Pennsylvania finalist for the Teacher in Space program in 1985.
Born in West Reading on July 1, 1941, she was the daughter of the late Charles W. and Hazel (Ludwig) Brownmiller of Hamburg. A 1959 graduate of Hamburg High School, she went on to Millersville State, earning a degree in education in 1963. She later received her Masters degree from Temple University. She first taught at Palmer Elementary in Easton, and then later in the Fleetwood school district. Ultimately she landed at Lorane Elementary School in Exeter as a fifth grade teacher. Her students will remember the annual incubation projects, waiting for chicks to hatch in the classroom, and they will not forget learning what a million of something looked like when they collected that many aluminum can pull tabs over many more school years than anticipated. There was a large ceremony at Lorane to commemorate the millionth pull tab and photos were taken and published in The Reading Eagle before the tabs were recycled. She spent the summer of 1981 teaching English to the children on the island of Majuro in the Marshall Islands. She was inducted into the Exeter Township Hall of Fame after her retirement from education and she was also the inspiration for a character in the young adult novel, “Me and Marvin Gardens”, written by one of her former students, A.S. King.
When she retired from teaching, she had two special goals: learn to quilt and to play the violin. She was successful at both. As a member of the Reading Philharmonic Orchestra, she played the violin until she was unable and then became the narrator for their concerts up until her death.
Ellen was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Charles Gallagher, who was the long-time editor of the Reading Eagle. Ellen is survived by her sons, Drew (Margaret) and Thomas Gallagher, and her daughter Julie Stern (Dale); grandchildren are Michael and Haley Arndt, and Baylor and Ellen Gallagher. She is also survived by her sister Janet Barr and brother Charles W. Brownmiller, Jr. (Betty); mother-in-law Stella Gallagher, brothers-in-law James (Kelly) and Joseph Gallagher (Linda) and many nieces and nephews.
It is a sad irony that Ellen died on election day, for she was passionately interested in government and political issues. She had a soft spot for pets, having many dogs and cats over the years, a rabbit, and even two goats. She was a long-time fan of the New York Mets and almost named her first born son Cleon after the Miracle Mets of 1969 won their first World Series a few months before his birth. Classical music was always playing in the background in her home, and her flair for gardening was evident in her surroundings. She travelled to many countries with family and friends. When COVID struck, she launched a family Trivia session on Zoom every Sunday evening to keep in touch with extended family and hosted the event and wrote almost all of the 40 unique trivia questions each week.
Ellen was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, but never allowed it to curtail her activities and never shared how much it was truly affecting her health. On Mother’s Day, she followed Voltaire’s advice and tended to her garden. She then went to lunch with family including her 102-year-old mother-in-law. That night, she mustered the energy to host the family trivia game as she always did. In hindsight, those efforts to enjoy and live Mother’s Day to its fullest took a toll on her declining health. She never told anyone. There are not many names more Pennsylvania German than Brownmiller and Ellen imbued life with a spirit befitting her family name up until the very end. Though her life may have ended, that spirit and zest for life and learning will remain in all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Reading Symphony Orchestra, The John Updike Childhood Home, or The Kurt Vonnegut Museum. Or simply read a favorite book or listen to a show tune in her honor. Try to remember when love was an ember about to billow. When everything was beautiful and nothing hurt. And so it goes.
The Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc, is entrusted with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at kuhnfuneralhomes.com.
She was a teacher, student, artist, musician, playwright, quilter, and almost an astronaut when she was a Pennsylvania finalist for the Teacher in Space program in 1985.
Born in West Reading on July 1, 1941, she was the daughter of the late Charles W. and Hazel (Ludwig) Brownmiller of Hamburg. A 1959 graduate of Hamburg High School, she went on to Millersville State, earning a degree in education in 1963. She later received her Masters degree from Temple University. She first taught at Palmer Elementary in Easton, and then later in the Fleetwood school district. Ultimately she landed at Lorane Elementary School in Exeter as a fifth grade teacher. Her students will remember the annual incubation projects, waiting for chicks to hatch in the classroom, and they will not forget learning what a million of something looked like when they collected that many aluminum can pull tabs over many more school years than anticipated. There was a large ceremony at Lorane to commemorate the millionth pull tab and photos were taken and published in The Reading Eagle before the tabs were recycled. She spent the summer of 1981 teaching English to the children on the island of Majuro in the Marshall Islands. She was inducted into the Exeter Township Hall of Fame after her retirement from education and she was also the inspiration for a character in the young adult novel, “Me and Marvin Gardens”, written by one of her former students, A.S. King.
When she retired from teaching, she had two special goals: learn to quilt and to play the violin. She was successful at both. As a member of the Reading Philharmonic Orchestra, she played the violin until she was unable and then became the narrator for their concerts up until her death.
Ellen was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Charles Gallagher, who was the long-time editor of the Reading Eagle. Ellen is survived by her sons, Drew (Margaret) and Thomas Gallagher, and her daughter Julie Stern (Dale); grandchildren are Michael and Haley Arndt, and Baylor and Ellen Gallagher. She is also survived by her sister Janet Barr and brother Charles W. Brownmiller, Jr. (Betty); mother-in-law Stella Gallagher, brothers-in-law James (Kelly) and Joseph Gallagher (Linda) and many nieces and nephews.
It is a sad irony that Ellen died on election day, for she was passionately interested in government and political issues. She had a soft spot for pets, having many dogs and cats over the years, a rabbit, and even two goats. She was a long-time fan of the New York Mets and almost named her first born son Cleon after the Miracle Mets of 1969 won their first World Series a few months before his birth. Classical music was always playing in the background in her home, and her flair for gardening was evident in her surroundings. She travelled to many countries with family and friends. When COVID struck, she launched a family Trivia session on Zoom every Sunday evening to keep in touch with extended family and hosted the event and wrote almost all of the 40 unique trivia questions each week.
Ellen was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, but never allowed it to curtail her activities and never shared how much it was truly affecting her health. On Mother’s Day, she followed Voltaire’s advice and tended to her garden. She then went to lunch with family including her 102-year-old mother-in-law. That night, she mustered the energy to host the family trivia game as she always did. In hindsight, those efforts to enjoy and live Mother’s Day to its fullest took a toll on her declining health. She never told anyone. There are not many names more Pennsylvania German than Brownmiller and Ellen imbued life with a spirit befitting her family name up until the very end. Though her life may have ended, that spirit and zest for life and learning will remain in all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Reading Symphony Orchestra, The John Updike Childhood Home, or The Kurt Vonnegut Museum. Or simply read a favorite book or listen to a show tune in her honor. Try to remember when love was an ember about to billow. When everything was beautiful and nothing hurt. And so it goes.
The Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc, is entrusted with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at kuhnfuneralhomes.com.