Patrick Donovan Gallaugher

Patrick Donovan (“Pat”) Gallaugher, 91, died on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, at home surrounded by his family, after a lengthy illness.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dorothy “Dot” Gallaugher, his parents, Barbara Fitzenreiter Gallaugher and Francis Valerie Gallaugher, his sisters Katherine Gallaugher Dunn and Babette Gallaugher Bradshaw, and his brother Frank Gallaugher.  He is survived by four children, Patrick Gallaugher, Jr. (Paula) of Lake Charles, Kevin Gallaugher of Austin, Texas, Adele Gallaugher Wallace (Brian) of Houston, Texas, Michael Gallaugher (William Sonner) of New Orleans, and two grandchildren, Kate Gallaugher of Los Alamos, New Mexico and Aidan Gallaugher of Baton Rouge.  

Pat was born in Lake Charles on April 30, 1926. After graduating from Landry High School in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy, at age 17. After basic training he was accepted into the “V-12” officer training program and sent to the University of Notre Dame where training courses were conducted. After the Japanese surrender, he was honorably discharged and enrolled in the Architecture Program at Notre Dame, from which he graduated in 1949.

Upon graduating Pat returned to Lake Charles and began a career in architecture that lasted 68 years. He joined the Lake Charles firm of Dunn & Quinn Architects (later Dunn, Quinn, Gallaugher & Quinn), at which he practiced 40 years. During those years Dunn & Quinn designed many significant area buildings and residences, including the Magnolia Life Building, the First Federal Savings and Loan Association building, Memorial Hospital, many grammar and high schools, and buildings at McNeese State University. In 1991, Pat began working for Randy Goodloe and Associates, where he practiced until shortly before his death. Pat loved working for Goodloe and Associates and was deeply appreciative that Randy Goodloe and his firm provided him the opportunity to do what he so loved—to practice architecture—into his 90s. He continued to design important local projects and most recently he and Mr. Goodloe designed the new Health and Human Performance Building and basketball arena currently under construction at McNeese.

Pat married Dorothy (“Dot”) Aberle in 1950 and they celebrated 67 years of marriage shortly before her death in October of 2017. He and Dot enjoyed books, music, traveling, and food, but most particularly evenings sitting in their living room looking out a picture window at an inlet of Contraband Bayou, discussing their day over a Martini. Pat was a wonderful, loving father and grandfather. 

Pat not only was a talented architect, but also an accomplished artist. His skill preparing architectural renderings showing how buildings or homes will look when completed evolved into pen and ink drawings and watercolors portraying more general subjects. He loved nature and birdlife and many of his drawings and paintings depict marshes and water birds of Southwest Louisiana. In recent years he was inspired during vacations by the beauty of Canada’s maritime provinces, and painted nautical scenes of Nova Scotia’s Atlantic Coast. His drawings and paintings have been featured in showings at galleries in Lake Charles, Houston, and Williamsburg, Virginia.

Beyond work and family, Pat’s greatest passion was golf.  Although he didn’t begin playing until his 30’s (being taught by his friend, the renowned local pro Gray Little), Pat played until age 90. He played skillfully even into his late 80s, and shot four holes-in-one after the age of 75. His love of golf and artistic talent came together when a watercolor he painted after a trip to the Masters was used for the cover of Golf Illustrated magazine’s January 1992 issue.

Pat was a devout Catholic and life-long member of Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish.

Pat’s life and memory will be celebrated at a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 10, 2018, at Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Visitation will be at the Cathedral prior to the service starting at 9:30 a.m. Arrangements were made under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.

The family wishes to express its deep gratitude to Pat’s physicians and caregivers, particularly Doctors Richard Gilmore, Leroy Fredericks, and James Maze, and their staffs, as well as the staffs of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and St. Patrick’s Hospital, for providing excellent treatment, advice, comfort, and care. The family wishes to thank Pat’s close friend, Dr. Pat Unkel, who provided compassionate and helpful advice during Pat’s final illness, and Father Whitney Miller who provided spiritual comfort in Pat’s final hours.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that those wishing to do so make donations to the Faith & Friends Food Pantry, P. O. Box 7344, Lake Charles, Louisiana, 70606, Food for the Poor, or any charity of the donor’s choice.