To the editor:
I am a multigenerational Swampscotter. I didn’t know Louie Gallo in high school because he was five or six years ahead of me. I don’t remember how I met Louie but it may have been when he was working at the Swampscott Public Library. His reputation preceded him as the town historian.
One thing I always enjoyed about Louie was his sense of humor. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, and he never failed to include an amusing anecdote or two. As a teacher at Stanley School, Louie would come into my third-grade class to share his knowledge about Swampscott.
At that time, our social studies curriculum had a unit on Swampscott’s history that I co-wrote with friends. The children warmed to Louie and he was always willing to answer their questions. Louie had an encyclopedic knowledge of his beloved hometown.
I have been a member of the Swampscott Historical Society Board of Governors for many years and had the pleasure of working with Louie in this capacity. He was a very valuable resource for the Society.
In addition, he always made his pizzelles when we had a program. They were delicious! Louie had quite a collection of Swampscott artifacts, too. He was devoted to the Society and I will miss his phone calls on behalf of the nominating committee to ask if I would continue to serve as vice president.
Once I retired, I started to attend the history buffs on the first Friday of every month from September through June at the library. Louie started this group and it ran for about 14 years until COVID-19 shut us down. This is where I really came to appreciate Louie as he would regale us with stories from his days at St. John’s Parochial School. He was hardly a model student!
One aspect of Swampscott’s history that I enjoyed most was when Louie talked about working at the New Ocean House for the owner, Mr. Kennedy. It seemed that Louie did a variety of jobs, including childcare.
I never knew if Louie was kidding or not, but he told us that he was watching Mr. Kennedy’s nephew who was a bit of a challenge. Somehow, the youngster got into trouble and fell through the floor to the room below. Only Louie could tell that story with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He always had a story to tell. Friday mornings will never be the same. Rest in peace, my friend.
Andrea Liftman
Swampscott
