Sharon Gallagher 1951-2023 Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Sharon Gallagher, 72, Mandan, ND, passed away peacefully in the presence of family at her winter residence in Palm Desert, CA, on December 3, 2023.

Sharon is survived by her husband of 46 years, Charles ("Charlie") Miller, and the following siblings and spouses: Bruce Gallagher, Bismarck, ND; Greg (Kathleen Kelly) Gallagher, Mandan; Blair (Susan) Gallagher, Mahtomedi, MN; Mary (Reggie Peck) Gallagher, Raleigh, NC; and Lisa (Wayne) Horner, (Mandeville, LA). Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Mildred (Rausch) Gallagher, and a younger brother Brian.

Sharon was born in 1951 in Bismarck and lived most of her life in Mandan. Upon graduation from Mandan High in 1969, she earned a BA degree in history from St. Mary's College, Winona MN (1973) and a JD degree from UND School of Law (1976). Upon receiving her JD, Sharon worked as an attorney for the State of North Dakota and later in private practice in Mandan, including part-time as Mandan's municipal prosecutor and later City Attorney. In 1977, Sharon married Charlie, a law school classmate. He will miss her greatly. One of Sharon's proudest achievements was her representation of Mandan in a suit brought by the City and State of North Dakota against the BNSF Railway for cleanup of a diesel fuel spill underlying a large portion of downtown Mandan. A settlement resulted in the State and City collectively receiving close to $30 million that was used to successfully remediate the spill with money left over. In addition, the City obtained valuable land along the BNSF right-of-way, including that underlying the Mandan Depot, downtown park, and Mandan Library.

Sharon was a strong advocate for the mentally ill. She was the principal drafter of the major revision to North Dakota's mental health laws in 1978 and later served on state and national boards of the Mental Health Association.

Arrangements are pending.