Frank N. Gallagher, who touched many people’s lives in the Doylestown area through his legal work and selfless community leadership, died on Dec. 4 after a brief illness, with his children at his side. He was 93.

Frank grew up in the coal-mining town of Mt. Carmel, Pa., where his father owned a shoe store and his mother was a teacher. He graduated from Fordham University and joined the Army, which taught him Russian and sent him to Japan to eavesdrop on Soviet pilots’ radio calls. He then used the G.I. bill to go to law school at Harvard.

In 1958, Frank was hired as the fourth lawyer at the firm of Eastburn & Gray, so he moved to Doylestown and never again changed zip codes. He spent all of his long and fulfilling legal career at the firm. He was active in the Bucks County Bar Association and in 1983 served as its president. Among other things, his colleagues admired his ability to remain cool and civil in court, even when opposing counsel turned nasty.

Frank became part of the fabric of Doylestown and worked to make it better in many ways. With the Jaycees he helped plant trees on downtown streets. In 1973 he helped start Doylestown Area FISH, an organization that helps people with short-term emergency needs. He was then president of FISH for 48 years. It has helped thousands of people and distributes over $100,000 a year.

In 1968 Frank met a smart and lively woman named Jeanette McCarthy, and things moved quickly – they were married the next year. They had two children and a busy house full of love and frequent dinner parties. Jeanette, an accomplished psychology professor, passed away in 2021.

Frank knew that a regular diet of art and music is good for the mind and soul. He was a strong supporter of the local cultural scene and had a hand in the creation of the Michener Art Museum and the revitalization of the County Theater, serving on the boards of both.

Frank would find this obituary to be highly embarrassing, because he never sought to call attention to himself. People who knew him speak of his humility, integrity, patience, and kindness. In his last two years, Frank lived at Wesley Enhanced Living, where he often invited people who were dining alone to share a table with him. One way to honor his memory would be to follow his example.

Frank is survived by his daughter Beth Gallagher, his son David Gallagher, David’s wife Fiona Spruill, and their children Violet and Desmond.

He donated his body to the Humanity Gifts Registry for use in science. A requiem mass in celebration of his life will be held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church at 235 E. State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 on Wednesday, December 13th, at 9:45 a.m. His family will greet people starting at 9:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Frank’s memory may be made to Doylestown Area FISH (doylestownfish.org).

Send condolences to www.varcoethomasfuneralhome.com