Born: Wednesday Dec-06-1933
Died: Tuesday Feb-04-2025
Funeral: Saturday Feb-08-2025

Morrison Funeral Home
& Crematory
188 S. Hwy 24
Rupert, Idaho 83350
Contact and Directions

Celia V. Gallo was born on December 6th, 1933, in a small town in Tucumán, Argentina, and left us on February 4th, 2025, at 7:32 pm at the Portneuf Medical Center hospital in Pocatello. She was 91 years old.

 Mom was a very active child. She was known as Chiquila, which means “Little One,” because she was a very small girl. Her grandson, Steven, wondered how such a tiny lady gave birth to five children, including twins. Momma was the fifth in a family of five brothers and one sister.  In such a large and loud family, noises were noticeable, but you could always know where momma was because of her voice, her high pitch was so unique that we knew where she was from far away.

Momma had several talents while growing up. While attending elementary school, she befriended a girl from Saudi Arabia. She became her best friend, from whom she learned to speak Arabic. 

Both girls were inseparable to the point that the Arab family wanted to adopt my mom because they fell in love with her sweetness, kindness, and ability to learn quickly.

When mom turned fifteen years old, the family ended up asking for permission from my grandmother to put mom to work at their grocery store as a cashier. A job that she succeeded in because she was such a hard worker and teenager.

  Mom always strived to better herself. At an early age, she strongly desired to seek a better future and improve herself. She moved from a small farm town to a more urbanized city where she studied to become a CNA in the medical field.  She started working at a children's hospital when she was only seventeen. A job that she adored but soon dreaded doing because she could not cope with all the little children's suffering.  It was there and while she was working at the hospital that she me my father and the love of her life, Julio Oscar Gallo, who she eventually ended up marrying.  They have five kids: Maria Mirta, Julio Rafael, Olga Magdalena, and the twins Nestor Hugo and Hugo Flavio.  Maria Mirta lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Julio Rafael passed away, and the twins followed us to the United States. My brother Nestor joked that our father was goofy-looking compared to our mom as she was so cute. Her answer was: ”Your father was the best Tango dancer in the world!”.

Life in Argentina is complicated and challenging. My father divorced my mother, leaving herresponsible for five children. Everyone admired her dedication to caring for all her children as a single parent. Mom accepted each difficult task as a challenge and taught us that nothing is impossible if we put our minds to it and trust God. When Dad left us, the twins were babies, and she had to provide the means for all of us. She worked three different jobs to care for us.

Momma started working as a CNA for the University of Tucumán in the Cancer Center in the morning. In the evening, she worked as a receptionist for several doctors and cleaned their offices after hours. Although exhausting and arduous, she found time to spend with each of us. Momma was passionate about education and instilled that passion in all of us, no matter the cost. “Life is like a journey, and you must write your own story,” … she used to say, and “make sure you learn a lesson from every chapter.” My mom sent us to a private Catholic school. She knew the value of a good education and spiritual values. For her, nothing was more valuable than that. She believed that education was the key to success, which is her legacy for all of us.

Momma was a wonderful Christian woman. She always gave her priceless possessions, including a warm plate of food, to anyone in need. Not a day went by that her house did not smell like freshly cooked empanadas or bread, which she had prepared for anyone who came to visit her. 

Her faith in God brought her to meet the elder missionaries of the LDS church, where her son Hugo later baptized her. Afterward, my sister Mirta, my brother Nestor, and I joined the church.

Mom moved to the United States to be near me when she was in her fifties. I was pregnant with my son Steven, and the pregnancy compromised my health. My mom left everything she owned in Argentina and came to help me deliver my son, Steven Daniel. Without any knowledge of the English language, she managed to seek and find employment, pay for her expenses, and save enough to bring the twins into the United States for better opportunities later.

1. She worked three jobs so she could accomplish that:
2. She worked at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center Hospital in Provo, Utah, where she was named employee of the year for three consecutive years
3. At the Excelsior Hotel as a Housekeeper in the evening and
4. Delivering newspapers for the Daily Herald.

She was strong and energetic and never complained about her busy schedule. Besides her work and education, my mom was passionate and grateful for her adopted country. She loved nothing more than to make a difference in the United States.  She loved this country so much that she decided to join the Republican Party Women's Committee.  She was able to donate food and volunteer time for the Republican Party and helped elect Congressman Chriss Cannon and Orrin Hatch to the United States Senate.

             Mom was well-loved by many who knew her. She went the extra mile to assist those in need. Utah County got to know her famous “empanadas,” an Argentinian meal she gracefully made for many people who were kind to her as a token of gratitude for everything she received. 

After retiring from her job, Mom lived with me in Heyburn, Idaho, until her death.

  Momma was very funny: she loved to watch NBA basketball games: The Chicago “Bullos”, as she called her favorite team. She thought she knew a lot about the English language. When she was helping a friend from Chile, Margie’s mom, to buy groceries at Allens Grocery Store in Provo, Utah, she called me upset. She explained that the Store Manager did not accept her friend’s credit card. She stated the following: “These gringos are discriminating against us, hija; please yell at them,” she asked me. The Store Manager came to the phone and humbly told me he would gladly take their money but that the store could not accept money to pay for deodorant, shampoo, and detergent with a food stamp card.

Momma adored her family, including her grandfather, brothers and sisters, cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was proud of her children and loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They all were her life. Momma's impact on those around her was profound. She taught us to be spiritually strong, responsible workers, respectful of others, and kind and polite with people. She showed us that we can succeed in this country if we put our minds to it and hold those values with honesty and dedication.

She knew how to discipline us. Let me share an anecdote my younger brothers share with me. Their fear of garden hoses, as they call it. When my mom got upset because we misbehaved, she grabbed a garden hose and chased us around the house. One day, my brother Nestor grabbed the garden hose before my mom and threw it over the brick fence. Defiantly, we look at our mom like: ”Well, what will you do without the garden hose now?”… a few seconds later, our neighbor threw the hose back, and the rest is history.

 Her husband, son Julio Rafael, brothers, and sister preceded her. She left behind her daughter Maria Mirta and her husband Miguel Ferenbokas, Olga Magdalena Gordon, Nestor Hugo Gallo, and Hugo Flavio Gallo.  Her grandchildren Julio Andres Gallo, Steven Daniel and Gabriela Cecilia Gordon, Chandler Coburn; Maria Eugenia and German Mosso; Natalieh Elizabeth and Nestor Daniel Gallo; Ernesto y Martin Ferenbokas; Miguel Angel, Jose Carlos, Veronica, Mirta Ines Gallo. Her great- grandchildren: Bruno Ferenbokas; Lucia Elizabeth, Ramon Gabriel, Naveah Elizabeth Gallo; April Celest and Santiago German, Mosso; Nikolai, Malikai, and Lionel Coburn; Hugo Esqueda and Melanie Gordon; Sofia and Mia Gallo. and a great-great-grandson to be born in June 2025.

As we say goodbye to Momma, I also want us to remember her devotion to the Lord, her love for family values, and this country that welcomed her with open arms. Her legacy will live on through all of us.

             Momma, you will be missed but never forgotten. Your love, laughter, and spirit will forever be part of us.  Rest in eternal peace, mami.

Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 8, 2025 at the Paul Stake Center of the  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 424 West Ellis Street in Paul. 

Condolences:

Desde Tucuman Argentina les mandamos nuestras condolencias bis nietas de la abuela Celia. Que Dios le de su eterno descanso y fuerzas a toda la familia.
Atte: Jessica Lopez. Sofia Gallo y Mia Gallo.. Jessica Lopez

What an amazing wonder woman your mom, sister, grandma, and aunt was.
May her memories help give you comfort in this difficult time. Cynthia

Rest in peace lovely lady. Carole Hayes

Celia era mi gran amiga la conosi por mi esposo Alberto caballo ellos eran buenos amigos y celia ers una señora muy atenta cuando usted la visitaba en su casa… Mi condolencia para toda su familia....Ydalia Penson

Mi amada tía, estarás por siempre en mi pensamiento y corazón, no olvidaré tus bailes tus esfijas, tu amor así mi tu hija pequeña sere por siempre ,mi bella desde el Sur de tu amada Argentina tus sobrinos nietos ,mi esposo y yo rezamos por tu eterno descanso. Patricia Villanueva