Noama Dolores Gallagher (nee Kaminski)

Noama married her first husband, Don Niedbalski right out of high school. They were married for 22 years until Don’s death in 1978. She then met and married her second love, Joe Gallagher. They were joyfully together until Joe’s passing in 1988.

As a Dunkirk native and a lifelong resident, Noama devoted 33 years working in the family court system, retiring as chief court clerk of Chautauqua County. During her career, she also served as president of the New York Association of Family Court Clerks and subsequently served on the executive committee. She cherished her career and forged lifelong friendships during her years of dedication.

When she was not on the clock, traveling the world was a great passion of Noama’s. Her “can do any-thing, anywhere” spirit led her on an adventurous solo trip to Africa, a unique journey through China, and even down the water rides of Schlitterbahn Water Park in her 70s.

While at home, she liked to garden, sew, remodel her home, and even had an article published in Home Handyman earlier this very year. Of course, she also had to have her coffee nights with her sisters and niece, and cocktails on the deck of her son and daughter-in-law’s house. In her younger days she enjoyed skiing, snowmobiling, bowling, and dancing.

Her family was her heart and soul, and so her home was always open. She loved to cook and bake, especially classic family recipes, and dessert was a priority. If you were company, you were family. She enjoyed keeping family traditions, including continuing the Niedbalski family parties, supplying Fourth of July fireworks, and hosting Santa for her family every year. By continuing and instilling traditions, she always made her family feel so well-fed, close-knit, and unconditionally valued.

Noama, along with her two best friends: Sue and Margariet, were known as “The Three Musketeers”. She was “Mom” to her children’s friends and “Grandma” to her grandchildren’s friends. “Gnoma’s Place” in Van Buren Bay was a “home away from home” for everyone that knew her.

She loved and she was loved.

Noama is survived by so many people that dearly miss her, including two children: Lisa (Morris) Lasris and Eric (Linda) Niedbalski: grandchildren: Madison (Christopher) Harris, Ross Lasris, and Reece Lasris; stepchildren: Phyllis Gallagher, Joseph (Maria) Gallagher, Julius Gallagher and Anna Gal-lagher; and her sisters: Gloria Jean “Pinky” Pochylski and Alicia “Lish” (David) Stayman. Numerous nieces, nephews, and friends survive with loving memory.

Noama was preceded by her parents, Joan and Joseph Kaminski; infant sister, Ellen and sisters: Joan Serafin and Elaine Terese; and a brother Donald Kaminski.

A celebration of life will be he held Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, for family and friends.