Audrey Polchow Gallmann

Audrey Polchow Gallmann slipped away into the Lord’s embrace peacefully at her home on Friday, September 13, 99 years young. She was born in Marrero, Louisiana, on August 15, 1925, the third child of William and Catherine Polchow. In 1930 her family relocated across the river to New Orleans where she attended Thomas Jefferson and R. T. Danneel elementary schools and Henry W. Allen High. Upon graduation she worked as a tally clerk for United China and Glass Company. When the country entered WWII, she took a job at Consolidated Aircraft on the Lakefront in Gentilly where thousands of seaplanes were built for the US Navy, including the famed PBY Catalina flying boat. 

After the war she was employed as a typist with Travellers Insurance where she was introduced to a handsome new young insurance agent, fresh out of the Navy, Bill Gallmann. It was the clichéd “love at first sight!” He asked her for a date and they went out twice in four days. They were inseparable thereafter. They married in 1949 and set out raising their family of five children during a lifetime of happiness.

Bill’s work in industrial sales brought them to Baton Rouge in 1953 where they were initially members of Our Lady of Mercy parish. They were founding members of both St. Thomas More parish and Sherwood Forest Country Club. At the time of their deaths, they were parishioners at St. Patrick Catholic Church.

Audrey was an accomplished self-taught cook of haute cuisine; she was a foodie before foodies were a thing. The kitchen was her happy place. She loved anything to do with food: talking about it, reading about it, shopping for it, prepping it, tinkering with it, cooking it, serving it, presenting it, and, most of all, eating it! In her home the assignments were clear; she did the cooking, and Bill did the dishes.

For decades she enjoyed socializing and playing with her weekly Bridge Club. She was unusually handy about the house and took to painting, decoupage, and furniture refinishing.

But at age 50 she did what she considered to be the best thing she ever did for herself: she took up tennis! She loved playing competitive tennis and traveling to play in away tournaments with her tennis pals with whom she maintained long friendships. And she loved watching the pros play on TV; her cable box was glued to 249, the Tennis Channel. She morphed into a tennis junkie. She could recite astonishingly minute biographical details of each and every tennis pro, male or female, from the big names right down to the most obscure up-and-comer. She continued playing well into her 70’s.

Audrey possessed a special joie de vivre and was blessed with an abundance of life-long friends, including a core group of partners in crime affectionately dubbed “The Dirty Dozen.” At her request, she and her children celebrated her 90th birthday in the French Quarter with a memorable evening at Mr. B’s Bistro and the Carousel Bar and Lounge with what she termed her “final blowout party” in her beloved New Orleans. She was fiercely independent and lived alone in her home until July of this year. And she was so proud to have her drivers license renewed at age 98!

Above all she was a devoted wife to her husband and wonderful mother to her five children. She untiringly cared for Bill as his health declined during his final decade.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, William H. Gallmann, Jr.; parents, William F. and Catherine M. Polchow.; brothers, William F. Polchow, Jr. and Charles Polchow; and sister Rosemary P. Kerr. 

She is survived by daughters Lynn G. Poche (Warren) of New Orleans, and Gail G. Mackey of Baton Rouge, sons William H. Gallmann III, MD (JoEllyn), James F. Gallmann (Jackie) both of Baton Rouge and Thomas E. Gallmann (Shara) of Dallas, grandchildren Max Poche (Olivia), Jillian Poche, Brennan M. Pizzolato (Corey), Dane G. Mackey, MD, (Erin), Heather G. Strittmatter, MD, Amy G. Balelo (Andrew), William H. Gallmann IV, MD (Minette), Lindsay G. Hayes (Matt), Luke Gallmann, Kyle Gallmann and Drew Gallmann (Nikki), 22 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Visitation will take place at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 12424 Brogdon Ln, Baton Rouge, LA Friday, September 20, 2024 from 9:30 AM until the Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory with reception to follow at Resthaven. Pallbearers will be her six grandsons: Max Poche, Dane G. Mackey, MD, William H. Gallmann IV, MD, Luke Gallmann, Kyle Gallmann and Drew Gallmann. Honorary pallbearer Troy Gibbens.

Special thanks to neighbors Troy and Mary Catherine Gibbens and Madison G. Callegan for their steadfast love, friendship and support. And to caregivers Lisa, Beverly, Veronica, Buddy, Ieisha, Howley and Shae for their tender loving care during Audrey’s final weeks. Sincere appreciation also to the nurses and staff of the Pennington Cancer Center Infusion Clinic, Drs. Kevin Babin, Joe Deumite, Sanjay Juneja, William Murrill and their staff for their professionalism, love, concern and kind care. 

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the charity of your choice.