Donghia’s former President, Jerry Gallagher, died on Friday, April 3 at age 78. Instrumental in opening the first Donghia showroom in Los Angeles in 1976, Gallagher implemented a standard of style and service that became a trademark of all Donghia showrooms across the country.
He remains well remembered across the industry for being a “consummate gentleman,” full of kindness, well spoken and always willing to help, who kept and maintained friendships that spanned decades, according to Linda Rector, showroom manager for Donghia’s DCOTA location and close friend of Gallagher.
Jerry Gallagher
“He did not skip a beat,” said Rector. “He just touched everybody—that was his way.”
Gallagher left Donghia and moved to Florida in the mid 1980s to open his own design firm. He returned to Donghia in 1993 as a sales representative and continued to build relationships for the company in Florida. He finally retired in 2001.
“He had an old-world behavior that inspired everyone with his manners,” remembered Rector.
Gallagher famously loved traveling by ocean liner as well as the tropical outdoors and gardens. Contributions in his memory can be made to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida.
