Patrick Irwin Flinn

Patrick Irwin Flinn was born on August 22, 1952, in Amarillo, and died on April 20, 2026, at the age of 73. A longtime resident of Houston, Texas, Patrick will be remembered with deep respect and enduring affection—as a cherished and beloved presence whose courage, generosity, and thoughtful loyalty shaped the lives of those fortunate enough to know him.

Patrick grew up in Amarillo, Texas, where his early years were marked by hard work, curiosity, and a knack for storytelling. He played football and later delighted family and friends with tales from those days, including stories of delivering newspapers alongside his Boston terrier, Butch, and the youthful mischief of driving with a license at 14 and joy-riding in a neighbor’s car. During high school, his family moved to Denver, where Patrick worked summers for his Uncle Fred, who repaid him with a horse named Doc Holiday and an English pony, Jody. He also worked for Spud Nuts Donuts and Greyhound Bus in Denver.

After high school, Patrick attended Colorado State University, earning a double B.S. in statistics and economics. He went on to complete an M.S. degree in economics, writing a thesis and working under a transportation department contract to redesign the downtown parking and retail sections of Fort Collins. He played college football for a short time before transitioning to an academic scholarship. His wide-ranging interests included skiing, tennis, and English literature; his favorite novel was “the woman in White” by Wilkie Collins.

While in college, Patrick was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency, where he served as a case officer. After leaving government service, his enterprising spirit led him to own several businesses, including Thrifty Rental Car in Honolulu, Hawaii. He later worked in finance at Merrill lynch and then transitioned to a mergers and acquisitions company in Houston—bringing to each chapter the same resilience, diligence, and steady determination that defined his life.

On March 4, 1990, Pat married Denise Leininger in Houston, Tx. Pat brought to his family a steadfast devotion and a warm, compassionate presence, pairing a strong work ethic with a humor that could brighten even difficult days. He had four children from his previous marriage: Ashley Forest, her husband Scott, and their son Riley; Caitlyn Barry, husband Ryan, and their children Liam, ila, and Fiona; Bradley Flinn and his children Lillian, Mason and Olive; and Margaret Flinn and her daughter Harper. Pat is also survived by his step daughter sarah Craig and husband Rodney.

Pat was preceded in death by his parents, Ivan and Dorothy Flinn; his brother ivan jr; his sister laurie; his brother Michael; and his mother and father in law, Caroline and Lowell Leininger. He is survived by his brother in law Mark Leininger and Chris Mangiopani; his sister Verna Lee (Lee); his brother Richard and his wife Garyn; and his sister-in-law Doris. He is also remembered with love by many nieces and nephews.

Pat’s adventurous spirit was evident in the way he embraced the world. He liked to travel and loved a good road-trip, and he became famous for stopping at historical markers—turning ordinary drives into memorable family journeys. He loved living in Hawaii, where the family had a beach house on the north shore, with evenings often shared alongside neighbors on the beach and days filled with snorkeling and swimming right from the back porch.

Pat loved and owned several classic cars, enjoyed motorcycles over the years, and took pride in the communities formed around those passions. He was involved with a classic car club in Kailua Hawaii that participated in holiday parades and local events, a Volkswagen group in Houston, and he was a supporting member of the polo club in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also enjoyed tennis, racquetball, snorkeling, and reading novels.

A devoted sports fan, Pat loved football—especially the Denver Broncos—and he loved the Houston Astros, taking the family to numerous games over the years. He loved movies and often delighted others by quoting lines from favorites such as outlaw Josie wales, Jeremiah Johnson, last of the Mohicans, used cars, the sand pebbles, bullet, tombstone, volunteers, animal house, and Groundhog Day.

Travel remained a continuing joy throughout his life. Pat and Denise spent their honeymoon in Jakarta and Bali, Indonesia, where Pat had briefly been assigned. Other travels included a family trip to Ireland and England, Scotland, Peru and Manchu Pichu, Germany Christmas markets, Alaska and the Arctic circle—where his favorite story was how he won the casino tournament on the cruise ship, earning enough that the trip was basically free—along with a river cruise through the Danube and numerous family road trips across the country.

Pat was intelligent, witty, and kind hearted, with a clever sense of humor and a deep instinct to show up for others when it mattered most. He often said, “it’s better to be lucky than smart,” a line that captured his easy wit and the grounded perspective he carried through life. His creativity, bravery, and generous heart leave a legacy of love, laughter, and steadfast care—one that will continue to be felt in the stories told, the miles traveled, and the family bonds he so faithfully honored.

Thank you to all my family and friends for the love, prayers and support during this trying time. Special thank you to the healthcare professionals and doctors. Thank you to my prince of peace choir members for all the prayers and love. Special thank you to our lady of Lourdes , Blessed Solanus Casey , our lady of Fatima, and capuchin monks Detroit ,Michigan for prayers, past healing and special intentions /miracles granted.