Marilyn Ann Norko Gallagher, age 79 of Stratford, beloved wife of Eugene Gallagher Jr., entered into eternal life on February 25, 2024.

She was born on August 12, 1944, in Bridgeport to the late Michael and Margaret Norko and   lived most of her life in Stratford. Marilyn graduated from St. Cyril's Commercial High School in Bridgeport. in 1960, and Harding High School in 1962.  She worked at Avco Lycoming as a secretary until she was married.

She volunteered for Hospice for 10 years, taught religious education at Our Lady of Grace, Stratford for 10 years, where she was also a Eucharistic minister and regular communicant. Marilyn's fondest memories were when she shook hands with John F. Kennedy, sang songs with Will Geer (Grandpa Walton) and danced with Chubby Checker on stage. Marilyn was infatuated with John F. Kennedy and Camelot. Her hobbies were reading about anything Kennedy, watching game shows, especially The Price Is Right, watching old westerns, and Seinfeld. She enjoyed going out to eat weekly with her oldest son, Sean. Marilyn loved her summer trips to LBI, surrounded by her family. She always had a love for dogs and was never without a dog in her home.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 59 years, Eugene Gallagher Jr. whom she married on August 22, 1964, at St. Ambrose Church in Bridgeport, her four children; Sean Gallagher, and his wife Patricia; Dawn Nicefaro, and husband Edward; Amy Nelson, and husband, Ronald; and Eugene Gallagher III; her grandchildren, Brendan Gallagher, Giavanna, Anabella, and Bianca Nicefaro, Haley, Ryan, and Catherine Nelson, Natalia, and Ellie Gallagher, and their mother, Mary Payne, Tessa Gallagher and her mother Courtney Arnett, 2 great-grandchildren, Jameson and Lilly Chambers, and their mother, Sara Levesque, her brother, Ronald Michael Norko, and his wife Ruth, many nieces and nephews and two dogs, Ping and Bo Ina addition to her parents, Marilyn was predeceased by two grandchildren, Dean Chambers, Jr. and Ronald Nelson.

A special thank you to all the staff at Maefair Health Care Center, and her roommate, Tammy Aronson, who supported and cared for Marilyn in her time of need.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 4th at 10:30 a.m. meeting directly at Our Lady of Grace Church 497 Second Hill Lane Stratford. Inurnment will follow at Nichols Farm Burial Ground, Trumbull.

The Adzima Funeral Home Stratford has been entrusted with the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude's Children Hospital, in memory of Marilyn.