Mary "Kathie" Kathleen Long

Mary Kathleen “Kathie” (Gallagher) Long, age 70, of Dundalk, MD passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 25, 2019 at Seasons Franklin Square Medical Center in Rosedale.

She was the daughter of the late Richard G. Gallagher and Christine May (Eichar) Gallagher. As a teenager Kathie and her brother, Richard, performed dance routines on the weekly WMAR-TV Channel 2 Collegians TV show and as members of a traveling troupe that visited veterans’ hospitals, fairs and American Legion halls in MD, VA & WV.

Kathie graduated from Patapsco Senior High School in 1967 and married the love of her life, John T. Long, Jr. in June 1967 and the couple recently celebrated 51 years of marriage. Kathie was a devoted mother, sister and sister-in-law, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her family was her most precious treasure. Together, Kathie and John raised their son, John, in their Watersedge home.

Kathie was a teaching assistant at Sandy Plains Elementary School for over 20 years. She helped create one of the first Pre-Kindergarten programs in Maryland which served as a model for all others throughout the state.

Kathie adored decorating for every holiday, particularly Christmas; loved to travel, especially family vacations to Disney World; making all sorts of crafts; dancing; and she especially loved indulging in chocolate. Kathie was most definitely a social butterfly who received great pleasure from cooking mountains of food and entertaining family and friends.

She was fiercely proud of her family and was an active part of their lives, attending every pageant, environmental clean-up, and extra-curricular activity that she could.

Survivors include husband John T. Long, Jr. Her son, John Long & wife, Erin of Dundalk. One granddaughter, Tamsyn Long and great-granddaughter, Annabelle McComas, both of Dundalk. She will also be remembered by her brother Richard Gallagher, Millersville, MD; niece Crystal Martin and husband Steve of Eldersburg, MD; and sister-in-law Laura White and husband Bruce of Glen Burnie, MD. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by sister-in-law Ruth Gallagher.

A visitation is scheduled from 2 - 4 p.m. and 6 – 8 p.m. Monday, July 29 at Connelly Funeral Home, 7110 Sollers Point Road in Dundalk. A celebration of life will take place 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 30 at the funeral home, followed by interment at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cemetery, 7401 German Hill Rd, Dundalk.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Maryland Chapter or the Humane Society of Harford County where all her beloved pets came from.