Fred J. Gallo Jr.

Fred J. Gallo Jr., of Riverhead, passed away on Sept. 13, 2026. He was born on April 9, 1947.

Boo Boo, as he was known, was a kind, soft-spoken man of many talents. He was a successful business owner (whom the New York Times once called “The Conch King”), inventor, mechanic and builder. More importantly he was a husband, father, brother, uncle and friend. He will be dearly missed and will always be loved.

He was a person who truly believed that you never stop learning, even outside of school. In his youth, he was a stock car driver, but after “retirement,” he became the owner and builder of a stock car, and in 1978, his car (the 91), driven by his friend, Frederick “Spider” Ligon, won the Riverhead Raceway “bomber” division. Ater that success, he tried his hand at operating a fish market while also being a commercial fisherman, and for over 20 years his family operated Gallo’s Seafood in downtown Riverhead. With THAT on his plate, he set out to teach himself how to build commercial fishing boats, and that’s just what he did! After selling his business, he “retired” to continue to build boats and restore antique cars while spending time with his family, including his four active grandchildren.

He spent a lifetime asking himself, “how do they do that?” and then learning (and improving on) the “how.” He leaves behind this legacy for his family and friends to carry forward: keep asking “how” and keep learning!

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Beatrice; his sons Fred (and wife Loretta) Gallo and David (and his wife Catherine) Gallo, and four grandchildren: David, Benjamin, Joshua and Hannah.

Visitation will be held on Friday, Sept. 18, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home, 336 Marcy Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901. The funeral mass will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Isidore R.C. Church, 622 Pulaski Street, Riverhead, NY.

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