Maxine Beck Gallagher, a resident of Carson City since 1961, died at her home in the loving care of her family on October 4, 2011. Maxine was born Maxine Murphy in 1921 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and was one of six children. Her surviving sisters are Miriam Murphy who resides near Chicago, and Roseanne Yaley of Mountain View, California. Maxine attended St. Peter's elementary and high schools in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She graduated from Rosary College with double majors in chemistry and mathematics. Maxine married Peter Beck who died in 1970, with whom she raised eight children. She later married Jack Gallagher, who died in 1996.
Maxine retired from the State of Nevada after working in the Department of Personnel and the Welfare Department. She served on the Carson City library board and was a faithful member of St. Teresa and Corpus Christi Catholic parishes. She celebrated her faith through a weekly prayer group of friends from the Corpus Christi parish and delivered communion to the homebound. Mrs. Gallagher contributed hundreds of books to the Carson City library and was the generous "cereal lady" for Friends in Service Helping [FISH] until her death at ninety years of age.
Her greatest devotion was to her family who grieve the loss of such a potent, fierce, unwavering and loving mother. Her children -- Peter and Barbara Beck, Dominic Beck, Stephanie and Vernon McCarty, Ann Beck and Diane Figari, Michael and Susan Beck, Christopher and Linda Beck, Matthew and Jane Beck, and Gabriel and Jyl Beck, will be celebrating her life at a funeral mass to be held at St. Teresa of Avila Chapel (north entrance) on Saturday, October 8th, at 6:00 PM. A wake for family and friends will follow.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Friends in Service Helping [FISH] at 138 E. Long Street, Carson City, NV. 89701. The family is deeply grateful to Diane Figari for her loving care and support of Maxine during her final year of life.