The Karen Berg Gallaher Fund was established in 1998 as a surprise Christmas gift to Karen by her husband Robert Gallagher (now deceased). Annual fund income helps underwrite the cost of the Raleigh County Board of Education senior scholars award program. Mrs. Gallagher came to Beckley when her parents moved here in the early sixties. An Allegheny College graduate, she returned to Raleigh County to teach English, speech, and drama at Shady Spring High School. Karen was active in the development and operations of family businesses. First with Craft Builders, Inc. then with storage properties in the two Virginias. She was most visible to many as a teacher, vivacious, enthusiastic, well-organized, imparting a love of learning as well as information to her admiring students. After leaving the high school classroom to rear three young daughters she returned to graduate school while teaching at the former College of West Virginia. She earned a Master of Arts from West Virginia University and completed advanced course work from Marshall University. A former BAF Board President, Karen passed away in 2019.