[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 15 (Friday, January 24, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E71]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF KEVIN ANDREW GALLAGHER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 24, 2020

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of my 
friend Kevin Andrew Gallagher, who has been diagnosed with a terminal 
illness. I had the opportunity to attend a service ``celebrating the 
life and antics of Kevin Gallagher'' at the National Ornamental Metal 
Museum last Sunday at which my friend was honored by his many friends, 
relatives and colleagues. It was his opportunity to see, and for his 
children to see, how he will be remembered. Kevin, 48, a masterful 
public relations and government relations consultant, was my campaign 
manager and put together a great team for my election victory for 
Congress in 2006, one of the first elections in which we were able to 
get beyond race and gender. Kevin also worked on A C Wharton's first 
campaign for Shelby County Mayor and later served as his director of 
public affairs. He also worked on Jim Strickland's first run for the 
Memphis City Council. He was appointed to the Tennessee Commission on 
Children and Youth by Governor Don Sundquist and was involved in 
reforming the juvenile justice system. He served on the Center City 
Commission and on the boards of the Memphis Redbirds, the Riverfront 
Development Corporation and the National Ornamental Metal Museum. In 
fact, Kevin is a blacksmith and bladesmith who said that when he got 
tired of talking to people, ``I go beat on metal.'' The museum where 
the service was held has created a scholarship program in his name to 
support the development of emerging blacksmiths and metalsmiths. At the 
service, one friend recalled that he was ``fueled by a sense of 
humor,'' but never punched down; he targeted political authority and 
had a funny way of speaking truth to power. Another recalled the work 
he did to get the criminal records of past offenders expunged so they 
could find work and how he helped struggling artisans through 
addictions and hard times. Kevin also liked to cook and catered dinners 
for various groups. He had a food blog and recently published Always 
Have A Chicken: A Cookbook For My Kids with 75 family recipes. Kevin's 
wife, Stacy, and his three children, Clayton Stone, Molly Gallagher and 
Spencer Gallagher, attended Sunday's service to express their love and 
saw that love returned. Kevin has led a wonderful life and has made a 
difference in the lives of so many others. He will be forever 
remembered.

                          ____________________