Nona Marie Flynn

Nona Marie Mitchell Flynn passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 23, 2025 at the age of 90 in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Nona was preceded in death by her husband William E. Flynn, her sister Joan Mitchell Chambers and her parents Lydia and James B. Mitchell. Nona is survived by her 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 6 nieces/nephews and many loving friends, caregivers and neighbors at the Vi Senior Living Community.

Early Life

Born on September 5, 1934, Nona was raised in Smithville, Texas and enjoyed an idyllic childhood with her parents, sister, grandparents, aunts and uncles and a large extended family across central and east Texas. Her mother, Lydia, was a teacher and her father, James, was the high school football coach and school administrator. World War II brought big changes as J.B. Mitchell was commissioned into the US Naval Officer corps to work on the training curriculum for Naval aviation. His active duty postings took the family to California, Maryland, and finally to Washington DC, where Nona’s Dad transitioned to a career with the Federal Aviation Administration. Nona graduated from Trinity College in 1956 and began teaching 3rd grade in Washington DC.

Family and Career

Nona’s entire third grade class attended her 1959 wedding to Dr. William E. Flynn. Before the classroom beckoned again, Nona and Bill had 4 children and settled in McLean, Virginia in the Washington DC suburbs. She earned her master’s degree in special education in 1968 at George Washington University followed by her doctorate in 1973. Her dissertation delved into how classroom structure--”open” vs. traditional-- factored into performance of 7 to12 year old boys and their teachers during their participation in a ground-breaking trial of ADD/ADHD medication. In 1983, after serving for 10 years as an EdD faculty member at GWU, Dr. Flynn joined the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC), a nonprofit organization committed to helping school systems, teachers and parents ensure that children with special needs receive the educational opportunities guaranteed to them under the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The term “Best Practices” was not yet in use then, but that’s what the PEATC consultants shared with school-based teams in rural areas. Nona and her colleagues traveled widely in PEATC’s eastern region to present workshops on navigating the maze of special education. In “boot camp” weekend sessions, Nona armed parent/teacher teams with tools, tactics and tips for accessing and getting the most out of federally mandated resources. She trained teams to coach parents of a newly enrolled or newly diagnosed student to be equal partners in decision-making, developing and implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Nona spent the last 11 years of her career with a national Federal program on cultural competence in education programs, helping school systems serve increasingly diverse student populations.

In 1995, Nona and Bill Flynn semi-retired to a golf community in West Virginia where Washington DC and Baltimore professionals retreat to enjoy the Shenandoah Mountains. Nona continued to work on grants and projects part-time until age 70. She never missed a chance to attend her grandchildren’s events. A devoted “Noni” to her 8 grandchildren, she and Pop created legendary weekends at the Woods. Grandkids were busy with hikes, books, pool trips, exploring civil war battlefields, apple orchards and The Woods golf fairways.

Community Involvement

Nona gave back to the West Virginia community through volunteer work with her Catholic parish and a Women’s Shelter. She became certified as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), a volunteer assistant to family court judges on cases with parents temporarily unable to care for their children due to drug, alcohol or mental health issues. Nona continued her CASA work upon moving to Colorado in 2010, assisting County judges in assessing family options for placement until the parents of young kids were able to provide a stable and safe home. She also volunteered with Love INC, an interdenominational family support organization in Littleton, Colorado, associated with St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church.

Final Tribute

A memorial service to honor Nona will be held on July 25th, 10:30 am at St. Francis Cabrini Catholic church in Littleton, CO where friends and family will gather to celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Love INC in Littleton, reflecting Nona’s lifelong commitment to helping families. Rest in peace, Nona. You stayed with us years after you longed to join Dad in heaven. Thank you for the beautiful example of a life of service and kindness.