In the summer of 1965, in the small town of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, a baby girl named Kathleen Louise Dunlap came into the world. She was the youngest daughter of James E. Dunlap and Annenia Dunlap (Anderson), and from the very beginning she was known for her bright spirit and tender heart. Her childhood unfolded in Midland, Pennsylvania, where the rhythms of small-town life shaped her. She attended the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School, walking its halls from kindergarten through eighth grade, before stepping into her high school years at Lincoln High School.

Life came at her fast, but she handled it with strength and grace. At just 17 years old, in September of 1982, she stood before the altar at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Midland and exchanged vows with her love, Timothy Earl Galloway. The ceremony was led by Rev. Father Dennis J. Bradley, a priest Kathy always remembered with fondness. That day marked the beginning of a marriage that would anchor her life for more than four decades.

Only three months later, I was born. My mom was just a teenager, but she didn’t let that hold her back. Though she was a young mother, she carried herself with determination and balance—managing the demands of motherhood while completing her senior year of high school. In 1983, she graduated as an honor student, walking proudly across the stage with her baby daughter and beloved husband waiting at home. I’ve always admired her for that—how determined she was, how she carried so much on her shoulders, and still managed to shine.

Her family grew as the years went on. In 1985 my brother, Timothy Earl III, was born. A few years later, in 1991, after she and my father moved our family to Pinellas County, Florida, they welcomed my sister, Cassandra “K.C.” Lynn. The years in Florida were bittersweet, marked by the tragic passing of her oldest sister, Linda Shannon (Dunlap), in 1991—a loss that shaped her deeply at only 26 years old.

In time, our family returned to Ohio and Pennsylvania, where my mom built her career and community. She dedicated 25 years of her life to her work as a record keeper at the Counseling Center of Columbiana County in Lisbon, Ohio. Her meticulous nature and quiet dedication earned her the respect of her colleagues.

But my mom wasn’t just steady and hardworking—she had a wild, adventurous side too. She loved to travel, to discover new places, and to feel the rush of adrenaline in experiences that made her feel alive. With a camera in hand, she often paused to capture the world’s beauty—small glimpses of life that reflected her own joy in living. Yet, above all, her greatest treasures were her family. She poured her love into her husband and children and, later, into her grandchildren—Adrionna, Olivia, Dominic, Cameron, and Armani—each of them carrying forward her light in their own ways.

Her journey was not without loss. She said goodbye to her father, James, in 2008, and she kept close in memory those she had lost far too soon: her sister Linda, her nephew Daniel Tiberio, and her beloved Aunt Darlene Donatella. Still, Kathy remained a constant source of love and stability for her family. She was fiercely devoted to her husband of 42 years, Tim, and together they shared a life full of memories, joy, and resilience.

In January of 2024, my mother’s story came to a sudden and unexpected close in East Liverpool, Ohio. She was only 58 years old. Her passing was too soon, and it left us all with a hole that can’t be filled. But I try to remember her not in the moment we lost her, but in the years we had her—the laughter, the adventures, the quiet strength she gave us every day. Her love will forever anchor my soul.

Her funeral Mass was held at St. Blaise Roman Catholic Church in Midland, the spiritual home that had seen so many of her life’s milestones—her wedding, her children’s baptisms, and finally, her farewell. She was laid to rest at Beaver Cemetery, surrounded by family and friends.

My mom was more than just my mother—she was a woman of love, resilience, and spirit. She was the heart of our family. And though she’s gone, her light still lives in all of us who loved her.