Gallagher celebrates 90 years

Friends and family of Georgia Gallagher gathered to help her celebrate her 90th birthday. She was born in Sisters in 1922 to Ellen and Ellis Edgington, a surname instantly recognizable to those familiar with Edgington Road, which skirts what was then the family's 640-acre cattle ranch. Georgia Gallagher is the ultimate "local."

"Georgia is one of the most interesting women I've ever met," said Dorothy Fields, a friend from the Sisters Senior Luncheon program in Sisters. "She's Mrs. History."

Georgia recalls going to school on horseback when it was at the site of present-day city hall. "Sisters was quite a bit different back then-it was pretty much loggers, farmers and ranchers."

Georgia's father, Ellis Edgington, was on the school board.

"He made sure we took all the courses required for entrance into college - even back then," said Georgia. She graduated from Sisters High School in 1939.

Outside of her studies and work at the ranch, Georgia played basketball for fun. "The court was divided in two with three girls from each team on both sides. We weren't allowed to cross the center line because they thought running was 'too hard on girls.'"

She giggled remembering these restrictions. "I guess they didn't know what girls went through to have a family back then."

Georgia went to Oregon State University and received a degree in home economics in 1944. She went to Chicago for an internship program in dietetics. Even in Chicago she defended her home town.

"People used to say, 'You're from that little old town?'" said Georgia, raising her pitch to imitate their inflection. "But I always stood up for Sisters."

That same year, 1944, Georgia was crowned Sisters rodeo queen. Her father was on the founding rodeo board of directors.

"I really enjoyed being rodeo queen - but as queen, they convinced me to do one of the races and my horse flew the tracks," Gallagher said with a smile. "I didn't win that race!"

Mrs. Gallagher worked as a nurse and dietician in Salem, where she lived for 22 years with her husband, Vince Gallagher. "I was working in the Oregon State Hospital when they filmed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," she remembered. "I got to know some of the actors well and it was really interesting; my office was very near the set."

After she retired from hobnobbing with actors and from her medical career in 1975, Georgia returned to Sisters. For Georgia, coming home to Sisters was an easy decision. She has a lot of friends and family in Central Oregon.

"She has a better social life than I do," laughed her son, Vince Gallagher, Jr. "She's a very happy person - she lives without regrets and takes life as it comes."

Her grandson, Chris Gallagher, remembered a not-so-easy-going moment with his grandmother. Georgia often rode on horseback with her family, gaining an uncanny familiarity with the landscape.

"I was about 6 and she and I went on a horseback ride," he said. "Her horse wouldn't cross the creek and I remember her getting off and smacking that horse right in the face with the reigns!"

"She didn't think it was nearly as hilarious as I did," he finished.

Her granddaughters, Josie Gallagher and Shannon Tacy, are grateful Georgia has shared stories like these with them. "A lot of people in our generation don't appreciate the history in these stories," said Josie.

"It's really important for me to keep this history going and share my grandma's stories with my kids," said Shannon.

But Georgia's not revealing all her secrets. When asked the key to her incredible life and longevity, she answered with a coy, "Oh, I don't know."

She wasn't so shy about the secret to the success of Sisters. "This town has always kept its character, I think."

Sisters has Georgia Gallagher to thank for some of that character. After spending the majority of her 90 years in Sisters, her gumption, wisdom, and optimistic spirit have clearly made their mark.