Maureen Rose Morello

Maureen Rose Morello, 78, of Howey-in-the-Hills, FL and Fairfield, CT passed away on April 9, 2026 surrounded by her loving family. She was married to her husband and best friend, Nicholas Morello, for 54 years.

Eldest daughter of the late William Francis and Bridget (Gaughan) Gallagher, Maureen was born in Paisley, Scotland on March 27, 1948. She was educated at St. Margaret’s Convent by the Faithful Companions of Jesus, Society of the Catholic Sisters. Maureen began her career at the J&P Coats thread company in the bias-binding office then ventured on her own to the United States via an employment program that granted her permanent residence upon successful completion. Prior to her marriage, she worked in Hartford at Society for Savings and The Hartford Insurance group.

Maureen loved spending time with her family, traveling the world, or planning wonderful experiences for her loved ones in all matters and manners. Some of her favorite trips and destinations included Tahiti, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, traversing the Panama Canal and Europe. No matter the destination, laughter was always on the itinerary. Leaving a strong impression on those around her, Maureen’s creativity and her strength were unrivaled. As a voracious reader that began tackling the classics at the age of four and memorizing the family encyclopedia for kicks, she was easily equipped later in life with her “font of useless knowledge” to win her nightly Jeopardy battle and beat everyone handily at Trivial Pursuit. She was an early adopter of tech, an impeccable chef, and immaculate homemaker. Monikered Momo by her eldest granddaughter, it became her loving nickname. Ryann, Ava, and Emery were cherished by Momo who spent countless hours entertaining each. Always outfitting her Florida homes with Disney-themed rooms for their delight using carefully-acquired memorabilia, she loved spending days at the Parks watching them trade collectible pins and sharing her love of the magic. She enjoyed teaching all three to sew and one caught the knitting/crocheting bug too. Maureen enjoyed music and kept a large collection of vinyl record albums where one her favorite singers, Elvis, was prominently featured. Her children even had to visit Graceland. Whether hosting family from overseas or entertaining relatives for the holidays, Maureen always welcomed everyone with an open door.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by a son Nicholas Morello, his wife Andrea, and their daughter Ava, Fairfield; a daughter Pamela Holden, her husband Whit, and their daughters Ryann and Emery, Fairfield; a brother William (Rosie) Gallagher and sister Patricia (Kevin) Fuller, both of England; brother-in-laws Rosario (Elena) Morello, Middletown and Victor (Janet) Morello, Fort Mill SC; along with many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was also predeceased by two brothers, Thomas and John Gallagher; her husband’s parents, Salvatore and Grace (Ruffino) Morello; and sister-in-law Maria (Salvatore) Bafumi.

A memorial mass will be held at St. Sebastian Church, Middletown at a later date. Calling hours will be Wednesday, April 15, 2026 from 5 to 7pm at Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Rd, Fairfield; Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 11:00am at St. Pius X Church, 834 Brookside Drive, Fairfield; Burial will be private at Oak Lawn Cemetery, Fairfield. Donations in memory of Maureen may be made to: Lymphoma Research