Maria Luisa Pratdesaba Gallington

Maria Luisa Pratdesaba Gallington passed away peacefully in the arms of her family and Liz Johnston on June 18, 2015 in Kennewick, WA. Born on November 2, 1914 she spent her infancy and early childhood in Spain with her father, mother and two brothers.  During this time she fondly remembered waking up early and saying the rosary with her father. She and her family moved to Mexico at age 10 where as a young adult she attended the university studying to become a pharmacist. Her education was interrupted when her family moved to Guatemala to avoid Catholic persecution when she was 17 years of age. She lived in Guatemala and worked as a secretary for a lawyer’s office and was an accomplished seamstress, dress designer and shop owner until age 35. During this time she made dresses for many notable people including the wife of Walt Disney.

At age 35 she fell in love with and married her husband, Lawrence Allen Gallington who was in the US Army Air Force stationed in the Galapagos Islands. Lawrence would visit Guatemala, frequenting Maria’s dress shop to buy dresses for his sister back home.  Maria was married to Lawrence in 1946 and moved to Vancouver, WA where she lived and raised their daughter until 1972. Her husband Lawrence preceded her in death on August 22, 1956. In 1972 she moved to California where she lived until 1981 before moving for the last time to the Tri-Cities. Maria was an incredibly talented person who enjoyed volunteering her considerable skills making fund raising items for the local hospital auxiliary to sell in the gift shop. She was an active member of her church choir for many years. Maria was a prolific award winning painter. In recent years she continued her passion for dress making by creating beautiful first communion gowns and wedding dresses for her granddaughter and grandniece. She also made suits for her grandsons. Maria is survived by her daughter, Gloria Larson and her husband Frank Larson; sister, Gloria Covel; three grandchildren: Julia, Lawrence and Frank III; two great-grandchildren: Kate and Tara; nieces: Annett and Alita; nephews: Larry and David; many grandnieces and grandnephews in California, Guatemala and Puerto Rico. Maria is also survived by her dearest friend, Magdalena who was like a second daughter. Her passion for the arts and unyielding determination will be missed. We will be forever grateful for the loving care she received from Park View Estates, Canyon Lakes and all her church family.