James J. Gallagher | Union official, 92

James J. Gallagher, 92, formerly of Northeast Philadelphia, a retired Teamsters official, died Thursday, Aug. 19, at Community Hospice of Northeast Florida in Jacksonville.

Mr. Gallagher grew up with seven younger siblings in Port Richmond. He dropped out of North Catholic High School to help support his family and worked with his father, a huckster, selling produce and fish. He later hawked on his own, was a stevedore, and worked in a factory.

During and after World War II, he served in the Army in the Philippines and in occupied Japan.

After his discharge as a sergeant, Mr. Gallagher was a driver and salesman for Mrs. Smith's Pie Co., and for 20 years was a milkman for Aristocrat Dairy. While with the dairy, he was active with the Teamsters.

In 1962, he became a union organizer for Teamsters Joint Council 53, and in 1963, he became business representative for Teamsters Local 463 in Philadelphia. He was president of the local when he retired in 1980. Until 2001, he was a labor consultant for Alco Standard, a manufacturer of paper products, pharmaceuticals, and food equipment.

Mr. Gallagher and his wife, Josephine Piller Gallagher, moved full-time to their summer home in Brigantine, N.J., in 1981. After her death in 1989, he moved to Fort Pierce and, later, Melbourne, Fla.

He played golf three days a week, socialized with friends, and enjoyed visits with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his son James said.

In addition to his son, Mr. Gallagher is survived by another son, Joseph; a daughter, Anne Fay; two brothers; a sister; 12 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and his longtime companion, Rosalyn Pocaro.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church, 5450 Roosevelt Blvd. Friends may call from 10 a.m. Burial will be in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Langhorne.