Dana T. Gallup ’68 died on May 12, 2024, in Medford, Massachusetts.

[obituary submitted by classmate]

Dana Gallup was born on July 8, 1946. He grew up in Cambridge and graduated from Cambridge Latin where he was a three-sport captain: football; basketball; and tennis!

At Bowdoin, he was a member of Alpha Kappa Sigma, played football and captained lacrosse (a game he first played at Bowdoin!).

He served in the Army (Germany) for two years. His marriage to Clare ended in divorce, but he is survived by his daughter from that marriage, Hannah.

Dana built Gallup Landscaping into a formidable business. To listen to him talk about it, it seemed like his company had done work for about half of Cambridge, Mass.

While initially estranged from the College, beginning with his class’s 20th reunion, he re-engaged with old friends and made new friends with other classmates.

In his later years, he joined a group of people who plunged on January 1 to raise money for various causes. He had a strong social conscience, let other cars enter an intersection before him, and generously donated to Bowdoin for many years. Dana was his own man, lending distinction to his Bowdoin class, not through scholarly or public service work but, through his general genius and colorful nature.

In September, 2021, his doctors confirmed their diagnosis that he had ALS. He greeted the news with a strong desire to live his remaining life fully, even as his legs and strength slowly gave way.

An early member of The Bowdoin Breakfast Club, he rarely missed a gathering. His last two years of ALS were eased by a regular Monday night music date in Somerville. He passed away from complications of the disease on May 12, 2024.

We are left with the memory of a man who was generous, smart, liberal, caring, polite, embracing, and very well read, amongst his many qualities. Although we are sad that Dana is gone and that we will never have his company again, we were lucky to have had him in our lives. So, let us enjoy that thought.