Mary Lois (Cornelsen) Gallagher

Mary Lois (Cornelsen) Gallagher, age 98 and a resident of Konawa, Oklahoma passed away from this life on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at Ada Care Center in Ada, Oklahoma. Cremation is under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home of Konawa.  A memorial service is set for 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 22, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church in Konawa where Mary was a long-time member.   Pastor, Steve Littrell will officiate, and burial will follow at Konawa Cemetery. Mary was born in Hillsboro, Kansas on April 9, 1917 to Jacob and Eliza “Bessie” (Hayen) Cornelsen, the fifth of six children.  The family moved to southern Kansas where she attended elementary school at Centennial, a one-room country school in rural Sumner County.  She later graduated from Wellington, Kansas High School.  After graduation, she qualified as a teacher and taught several sessions in Sumner County schools. She married Max Wayne Gallagher on June 4, 1939 in Perth, Kansas.  As was the custom in those days and as a married lady, she no longer worked outside the home.  And, the young couple spent several years is western Kansas where Max taught at Hugoton and Kingsdown schools.  In 1945, the couple moved to Argonia, Kansas where Max taught and coached for thirteen years.  In the mid 1950's, the couple purchased “The Argonia Argosy” which marked their entry into the small town newspaper business.  In 1959, they moved to Konawa and purchased “The Konawa Leader”.  Over the years, the family published newspapers in other towns as well, including Prague, Maud, and Stratford.  She worked in the family business well into her eighties. She is survived by three sons, Joe Gallagher and wife, Jean of Round Rock, Texas, Ed Gallagher and wife, Betty of Konawa, and Don Gallagher and wife, Paula also of Konawa; eight grandchildren, David Gallagher and wife, Leslie of  London, England, Patrick Gallagher and wife, Vanessa of Austin, Texas, Stacy Gallagher of Washington, D.C., Krista Evans and husband, Joe of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Jennifer Stephans and husband, John of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Brandon Gallagher and wife, Tiffani of Cordell, Oklahoma, Tami Eberle and husband, Frank of Konawa, Carrie Moore and husband, Dusty of Konawa; great grandchildren, Matthew Gallagher, Grace Gallagher, Sophie Gallagher, Lukas Evans, Jacob Evans, Sidney Evans, Lillie Evans, Bode Gallagher, Piper Gallagher, Colby Eberle, Cale Eberle, Maddox Wofford, Grady Moore, Tate Moore, and Aubriana Moore. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jacob and Bessie Cornelsen; her husband, Max Gallagher; two brothers, Alvin and Charles Cornelsen, and three sisters, Laura Haggard, Mildred Forer, and Wilma Fender. In lieu of flowers, the family would like for donations to be made to the Kennedy Library of Konawa. Funeral Information: June 22, 2015, 10:00 AM Cremation is under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home of Konawa and a memorial service is scheduled at The First United Methodist Church located at 301 West 1st., Konawa, OK 74849