Obituary of Jean Hart Flanigan

Jean Hart Flanigan On December 20th 2014, the last chapter of Jean Hart Flanigan's story was closed. In Chapter 1, a child is born to William and Ruth Hamill Hart on June 19, 1926 in Tarrytown, New York. The family soon moved to Waterloo as her father pursues employment at the Seneca Army Depot as a warehouseman. Jean learns about tools, speedboats and motorcycles from her father, while attending Geneva schools. Chapter 2: She is introduced to Lon Preston Flanigan of Geneva, neighborhood rascal and mischief-maker, who serves in Europe in WWII while Jean works for the Red Cross in Geneva as a secretary. Lon returns to Geneva to attend Hobart College and they are married in 1946. Chapter 3: Jean works as secretary for M.M. Harman, Optometrist, then for the family business, Seneca Kraut & Pickling Company. The couple raise 3 children while she works to establish the Lobby Shop at Geneva General Hospital. Chapter 4: Jean discovers Yoga and becomes a Certified Yoga instructor. She and the family host 3 students from abroad who quickly become daughters: Elahe (Iran), Ha (Vietnam) and Thuy (Vietnam). In Jean's house, Jazz is heard with Monk, Goodman and Dixieland playing on the stereo. Chapter 5: Lon and Jean move to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where she works as a secretary in the Beach & Ocean Front Properties in Miami and later as Executive Secretary for Dart Container Co. in Deerfield Beach until her retirement at age 75. Jean's love of literacy, literature and the beauty of books draws her to the friends of the Boca Raton Public Library where, from 2004 she serves as Board Secretary, helps to promote the building of the new Boca Raton Downtown Library and volunteers at the Library Friends Bookstore. Chapter 6: Her story's denouement takes place in Geneva where she enjoys summers with her family and the Finger Lakes and passes away peacefully at home. In 2002, Lon died in Florida, with his family near. Cherishing her memory are her children Jeannette (David) McLellan of Sudbury, MA, William (Juanita) Flanigan, Geneva, NY, Philip Flanigan, San Antonio, TX, Elahe Sadri (London), Truc Ha (Michael) Ashton, Naples, FL, Thuy (Bui) Van Dao, San Jose, CA, grandchildren, Andrew, Alison and Amy McLellan, Rachel Griffiths and a dear friend Mary Lieber of Rockledge, FL. Surrounding and caring for mom in her last weeks were the incomparable Torres sisters Mary Achilles, Lettie Rogers, Maria Howley and Alma Torres-Vogt, hospice nurse Karen Strickland and caregiver Terry Nedza. We thank Doctors William Platzer and Timothy Malins in Geneva for their compassionate care and attention.