Flora was born in Milford, NH on April 30, 1930 to Elizabeth & Rudolph Duerschmidt. During the depression Flora and her family (sisters Doris, Alice, Jane, and Helen; and brothers Rudy and Jack) moved to Riverhead, a town on Eastern Long Island that made Flora’s family especially excited as it had its own water tower! Flora graduated from Riverhead High School in 1948.
Flora was married for over 25 years to Walter J. Flanagan, former Town of Riverhead Receiver of Taxes and Retired Riverhead Police Sargent, before his passing in November, 1981. Together they raised a close and loving family of a son and three daughters (Michael, Patricia, Erin and Kathleen) in their much loved home in Riverhead.
Prior to retiring to the Jupiter, Florida area to be near her relocating and expanding family, Flora managed the book department at McCabe’s on Main Street in Riverhead, was an assistant, then stockbroker at Cowan and Company in Southampton, and worked in her younger years at LILCO. But the position Flora found the greatest joy in was teaching reading to middle school aged children.
With a regal bearing and a beauty she maintained all her 88 years, Flora was the embodiment of a loving, supportive, empowering mother, grandmother, sister, wife,and friend-filled with wisdom, strength, independence, kindness, and grace. She adored her children and grandchildren and gifted them years of her unconditional love, guidance, and support.
A gifted artist, Flora inspired in those she met, a deep appreciation of the beauty in nature-from skies to waterways, to various colors and shading; Flora shared her awe in the beauty in her surroundings every day. She also inspired her family with her acceptance, tolerance, and appreciation of all people, and regularly brought joy with her gentleness, playfulness, and adoration for children, and her treasured puppy Flynn.
Flora’s entire family is grateful for the blessing of having her as our matriarch. She leaves her beloved family with memories of her beautiful spirit; inspiration from words of wisdom that will long be echoed and passed on through generations; and snapshots of too many shared beautiful moments and experiences to count. She is survived by her children: Michael Flanagan, Patricia Burrows, Erin (Flanagan) and Mark Schimpf, and Kathleen (Flanagan) and Steven Grangard. She is also survived by her grandchildren; Jordan (& Jordan Spoon) Grangard, Gabriella (Bria) Grangard, Colin Schimpf, and Scott Schimpf; her sister Helen Cronin of Connecticut, her family through marriage Douglass & Shirley Grangard, and numerous loving nieces and nephews.
At her request, Flora will be cremated and her ashes interred alongside her husband at St. John the Evangelist Church in Riverhead in a graveside memorial to be scheduled later in the year. Memorial information will be updated, at a later date on this site: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/jupiter-fl/flora-flanagan-8176002
As a lover of reading, and believer in children’s literacy, the family requests that those wishing to honor Flora’s memory consider a tribute donation in Flora Flanagan’s memory to the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County https://www.literacypbc.org/donate/ with a gift preference to the Children’s Program.
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