Jessica Parish Galloway
05/15/1964 - 09/13/2025
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Jessica Parish Galloway on September 13, 2025 after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer.
Jessica found her greatest joy in raising her three children, sharing with them her boundless zest for life. She celebrated their accomplishments with pride and championed every new pursuit. Her home was filled with love, warmth, and the ever present smell of skilled cooking.
A fifth-generation Californian descendant of Isaias W. Hellman, Jessica was born in San Francisco at Children's Hospital to Nancy Hellman Bechtle and Henry Parish III. Jessica attended the Katherine Delmar Burke School from kindergarten through eighth grade, where she formed friendships that lasted a lifetime. She continued on to the Branson School '82, before she went on to earn her Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she first met the love of her life, Stephen Galloway.
Growing up in San Francisco in the 1970s, Jessica delighted in music and community, especially while attending Grateful Dead concerts. Guided by a passion for caring for others, she pursued her calling as a nurse practitioner, graduating from University of San Francisco School of Nursing. She devoted her professional life to serving patients at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center and later the San Francisco Free Clinic.
Together with her mother, Jessica co-founded Give Breast Cancer the Boot, a highly successful philanthropic initiative whose proceeds benefited the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. She was also devoted to supporting the San Francisco Free Clinic through her fundraising work.
Jessica's love of nature was ever-present. She adored the Presidio and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, where she could often be found walking her beloved dogs Cosmos and Pluto, while sharing stories with friends. She also had a special connection to Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, where she skied, laughed, and built lifelong friendships. Following in her mother's footsteps, she became a devoted supporter of the Donner Summit Avalanche Dogs. She knew each dog by name and delighted in seeing them around the mountain.
Jessica is survived by her husband Stephen and their children-Oliver, Benjamin, and Claire. She is also survived by her brother, Michael Parish, his wife Anne, and their daughters Chelsea and Meredith; her father, Joachim Bechtle; and a wide circle of extended family and friends who will carry her memory forward.
Jessica's life was one of love, generosity, and joy. She will be remembered for the twinkle in her eye, her infectious smile, and her full-bodied laugh. Jessica deeply cherished her many close friends and family and found joy in her love of people and the natural world. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion and laughter that will continue to inspire all who knew her.
The funeral will be held at Noon on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at Temple Emanu-El, Two Lake Street, San Francisco. Donations in her name may be made to the Donner Summit Avalanche Dogs <https://www.donnersummitavalanchedogs.org/donate> or the San Francisco Free Clinic <https://sffc.org/donate-now>