Alexander "Alec" Flood

March 5th, 1931 - January 2nd, 2022

In the early hours of the morning of January 2, Alec passed away due to

complications of emergency surgery in Arizona, where he and his son

Pacelli, had been visiting Kate’s family for the holidays.

Alec spent over 40 years as an officer with the Customs and Excise in

Ireland, retiring in 1996. For a few years after completing secondary

school, he worked for Gaeltarra Eireann, at a tweed cloth factory in Kilcar,

Co Donegal. He sat for the fiercely competitive Civil Service Entry

Exam and after scoring well, he gained an appointment with Customs &

Excise, first working in Dublin and a few other posts, before returning to

Donegal to work at the Northern Ireland border.

Alexander Gerald Flood was born at home on March 5, 1931, in the

small town of Cloughmills, County Antrim in Northern Ireland. He was the

sixth of seven children and second son of Frank Flood, a member of the

Garda Siochana and Catherine Richmond, a school teacher. After his father’s

posting moved the family to County Donegal, Alec spent his

younger years in Killybegs. Decades later, he enjoyed visiting the port

town and recollecting childhood memories, while he enjoyed eating fish

and chips on the promenade and inspecting the fishing boats moored in

the harbor.

At a dance in Killybegs one evening, Alec met Margaret Gallagher, a

nurse from Tubbercurry. On August 24,1960, Alec and Peggy married

and moved into their first home together in her hometown of Tubbercurry,

County Sligo. Five children followed, four sons and a daughter. In

1968, he moved his family to Lifford, County Donegal, to cut his commute

and spend more time at home. Family holidays took them on visits

to the promenades of Salthill, Galway and Tramore, Waterford, the

beaches of Donegal, and North County Antrim.

In 1982, with children away at school or university, he and Peggy moved

again, this time to Bundoran, County Donegal. He built a home on

Church Road, with views of the Atlantic Ocean from the front garden.

Alec would regale visitors with stories of his years working for the Customs

and interdicting cross border smugglers. Each would nod and finish

his sentences, because he had shared the same stories so many times.

The house was the focal point for Kate’s wedding in 1997, and in the following

years, laughter from his four grandchildren would occupy the

rooms.

After Peggy sadly passed in 1998, Alec expanded his love of travel beyond

the Irish coasts, by flying to the South of Spain in the winters with

his sister, Susie, or trekking on his own to Southeast Asia, specifically

Hong Kong, China and Vietnam, in the summers. The trips to Arizona,

North Carolina, Texas, and Kansas to visit his children and grandchildren

allowed him to explore much of the U.S., sightseeing the Grand Canyon,

passing time on the beaches in Hawaii, and touring SouthFork Ranch in

Dallas.

When he wasn’t traveling, hobbies and friendships occupied his days in

Bundoran. A study littered with the latest models of laptops, tablets, and

phones is evidence of his affinity for electronic gadgets. Other hobbies

included reading, buying stocks, and attending annual stockholder meetings

in Dublin. His close friendships with his Church Road neighbors,

Maire, John, Kathleen and Michael meant he was never alone.

He is survived by his five children: Pacelli Flood in Kilcoole, County

Wicklow, Kevin Flood in Thailand, Raphael Flood in Sweden, Enda

Flood, daughter-in-law Paffi, and children Conor and Pearse in Kansas,

USA, and Catherine Fleck, son-in-law Tom, and children Kiera and Colin

in Arizona, USA . Also two siblings Alice O Mullan in Cloughmills, County

Antrim and Patrick Flood, sister-in-law Patricia in Galway, nieces and

nephews Eugene, Aloyise, Frank, Alice, Patrick, and Sarah. He is preceded

in death by siblings Kathleen Corbett, Frank Flood, Susan McErlean,

Sally Flood and nephew Fintan Flood.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the The Society of St. Vincent

de Paul.

https://www.stvincentdepaul.net/give