Andrew Paul Gallagher Jr.

Andrew Paul Gallagher II (Chip/Andy) of Stevensville, MD passed away Sunday, December 8, 2024. He was 72 years old. Originally of Arden, DE, Chip was born on June 16, 1952 to the late Andrew Gallagher Sr. and Loretta Sloan Gallagher as the fourth of their five children. Chip was predeceased by his wife of more than thirty years, Karen Laskowski Gallagher. He is survived by his children, Brianna Gallagher and her husband, Kyle McKillop of Burtonsville, MD, and Colin Gallagher and his wife, Erica, of Chester, MD; grandson Aigéan Gallagher and grandson-to-be Kian Gallagher; sisters Loretta (Bunnie) Gallagher Williams and her husband, Al, of Seaford, DE, Carol (Candy) Gallagher of New York, Andrea Gallagher Pustell and her husband, Dave, of Muscatine, IA, and Shari Gallagher Phalan and her husband, Patrick, of Arden, DE; in addition to numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Chip graduated from Holy Rosary School in Claymont, DE and then moved on to Salesianum School and Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, DE. He first honed his love of music during this time when he performed with his band at numerous “Battle of the Bands” events, sharing his bass-playing talents and his gorgeous tenor voice. He proudly used the same bass guitar as Paul McCartney! Chip studied finance at the University of Delaware and used his mathematical acumen combined with his retail savvy to begin an illustrious career in retail management. Over his 40 year career, Andy was a distinguished senior executive known for his ability to turn struggling businesses into top performers. His career was marked by a profound impact on every company he touched, with his tenure at Phillips Van Heusen standing out as a highlight of his professional life. As Regional Manager, Andy led a $300M business, overseeing 237 stores across 11 Northeastern states. His exceptional leadership and vision helped transform the company’s outlet division into a retail powerhouse, achieving top-performing status companywide for seven consecutive years. Andy was instrumental in rolling out a new outlet store concept, opening 110 stores and significantly improving store performance in sales, profitability, and shrinkage control. His dedication to nurturing talent also shone through as he developed a robust succession plan, promoting several individuals into senior roles, including one who later became Vice President of Operations. Beyond his retail management achievements, Andy’s career included a successful stint as a business owner, where he ran 17 Oreck franchise locations, employing over 100 people. There, he applied his business astuteness to grow operations, expand margins, and streamline costs, all while maintaining a strong focus on customer service and operational excellence. His leadership was built on a foundation of training, performance management, and developing high-performing teams, qualities that earned him lasting respect throughout his career. From 2017 until his passing, Andy continued his passion for sales and service as a Sales Consultant at Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis, where his commitment to providing exceptional customer experiences never wavered. Andy’s legacy is one of integrity, tireless dedication, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. His work and influence will be remembered by the countless people he mentored, the businesses he transformed, and the high standards he set for others to follow. Chip reveled in his role as a father and grandfather. Despite his heavy travel during his professional career, he made sure to never miss an important game or a school performance. He’d be front row and center in the audience, ready to cheer his kids on. He and Karen made their home warm, loving, and welcoming, and their kids always felt cherished and their kids’ friends felt right at home at their dinner table. He was always ready to drop everything at a moment’s notice if one of his kids needed a ride, even driving all the way out to the University of Maryland to pick up a sick freshman Brianna for some weekend TLC. He always made himself available and was a trusted confidant and source of advice, especially if they had car trouble or financial questions. He’d tell anyone he met, whether a client, doctor, or neighbor, how proud he was of his children and how much he adored them. Above all, Chip’s greatest gift as a father was his steadfast commitment to his family. He was always ready to step in, stand up, and defend them in any way they needed. Fiercely protective yet deeply encouraging, he gave them the freedom to try, stumble, and grow, always standing close by, ready to lend a helping hand. His latest, favorite role was being Pop Pop to Aigéan. Aigéan loved sitting on his lap, listening to the “Tump Tuck” (Dump Truck) books and playing with his toy trucks. Chip made sure to see Aigéan as often as possible, always with a new toy dump truck in tow, coming over for Sunday dinners or weekend babysitting. Aigéan absolutely idolized his Pop Pop. To know Chip was to know his infectious laugh combined with that smile that made his eyes disappear into his cheeks. His sense of humor was ever present, wildly inappropriate, and always ready to break the tension. You would hear his beautiful tenor singing the high harmonies of a Chicago, Beatles, or BeeGees song, or humming along to a song in the car. You’d hear him cheering for the Eagles (and booing the Cowboys) on any given Sunday. You’d see him reading an old fashioned print newspaper, always saving the comic section for his kids. He loved to keep himself informed and was always ready to talk politics with anyone who would listen. Always an animal lover, you would catch him playing with his grand-pups, offering scritches or a warm lap for snuggles in the mornings. You might find him at a car show checking out classic cars or reading the latest car magazines and offering sound advice about your next car purchase. He hoped to one day repurchase his 1971 Pontiac Grand Prix and his Höfner Violin Bass and had started learning how to play a 6-string guitar in his free time. His untimely absence leaves a hole in our hearts. A memorial gathering will be held at Fellows, Helfenbein, & Newnam Funeral Home of Chester from 12-1 p.m. on Saturday, December 14th at 106 Shamrock Road, Chester, MD 21619. At the conclusion of the gathering family will share a few memories and lunch will immediately follow.

Andrew Paul Gallagher Jr.

June 16, 1952 - December 8, 2024