Maureen Flaherty Ross

A long-time resident of Ridgewood, NJ, Maureen Flaherty Ross passed away peacefully after a brief illness on September 11, 2022 in her recently adopted home of Falls Church, VA. She was born on January 28, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY to Francis and Margaret Flaherty, and was a devout Catholic throughout her life. She studied her faith continuously and sought always to understand, to appreciate, and to respect the beliefs and perspectives of people of other faiths. Her endless intellectual curiosity kept her sharp and fascinating to the very end. She had a beautiful mind that was matched only by her deep kindness. In 1982, her older sister, Pat, passed away suddenly. Maureen and her two surviving sisters, Elizabeth Kerner and Sheila O’Brien, committed to keeping Pat’s memory alive and vital by having a family reunion for the ever-expanding families of all of the Clan’s 21 first cousins at least every two years. This reunion has served as a constant reminder of the value of Family for the extended Flaherty Clan for 40 years and counting. Maureen was a terrific athlete! When she was in the 4th grade, she outran every classmate in the sprint competition at Fontbonne Hall. And she had a deadly hook-shot on the basketball court that was virtually indefensible. As an adult she relished playing tennis with her husband, Bob, and all four of her kids. They would often play tennis at Upper Ridgewood Tennis Club until long after the sun had set and the court was plunged into complete darkness. In her first career, Maureen helped produce live cooking and baking television broadcasts for General Foods. Her “Yule Log” recipe (Roulage Leontine) is legendary. In her second career, she raised four children. She relished catching her kids when they tried to ditch their peas into the glass of milk of their unsuspecting sister, Elizabeth. Her third career she worked as a paralegal and managed the law office of Katz & Ross in Manhattan for many years. Maureen earned a bachelor’s degree in 1952 from The College of St. Elizabeth, now known as Saint Elizabeth University. She maintained a lifelong devotion to her Alma Mater and helped to organize numerous college reunions over the years. She was a classically trained pianist and performed at a number of important musical venues in New York, including Brooklyn Town Hall. She focused on “Piano Four Hands” where two pianists perform side-by-side on the same keyboard, and she recorded the Rachmaninoff 2d Piano Concerto in that format for the RCA Record label. Maureen married Robert Brennan in 1956 and they had one daughter, Maureen Elizabeth (aka: M’Liz). Bob passed away suddenly in 1958. In 1963 she married Robert B. Ross of Jacksonville, FL, to whom she remained very happily married for 51 years until his passing in 2014. They had three children together. Maureen and Bob retired from the practice of law in 2012 and they relocated to Falls Church, VA, in order to be close to their 3 daughters. They joined the vibrant community of Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads and instantly fell in love with their new environs. They enjoyed spending time with their many new friends who they both cherished. Maureen is survived by her four children, Maureen Ross (Arlington, VA), Robert B. Ross, Jr (Thea Diserio Ross, New Canaan, CT), Alison Ross (Michel Folliet, Alexandria, VA), Elizabeth Ross Dann (Michael Dann, Morrisville, NC), and 8 grand-children: Matsu, Kandy, Ariana, Bobby, Olivia, Sophia, Kira, and Ross. A visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Monday, September 26, 2022 at Murphy Funeral Homes in Arlington with the Celebration of Life Service starting at 7:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, 5300 10th St N, Arlington, VA 22205. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a date TBD. In her last years she suffered from declining hearing. She very much would like to support research to support other people who face the isolating effects of hearing loss, and so in lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to: The Hearing Health Foundation, the leading national source of non-profit funding for research in hearing and balance science. http://hhf.org/maureen-flaherty-ross