Thomas Neale Flanary

Captain Thomas Neale Flanary II died at the age of 85 on August 7, 2020. Thomas N. Flanary was born on November 12, 1934 in Knoxville, Tennessee to Paul and Lillian Ott Flanary. He attended parochial schools throughout the country and graduated from Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri in 1951. He joined the Navy in 1954 and became a Naval Aviator, receiving his Wings at Corpus Christi, Texas in 1956. For the next 28 years he served in various assignments and squadrons, mostly on aircraft carriers in the Atlantic Fleet. Additionally, he flew with Royal Air Force Squadron 85 in West Malling, England. His first command was of squadron VS-31, aboard the USS Intrepid in Barcelona, Spain in 1973. He later served as Chief Test Pilot of the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. During his career he received both BS and MS degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School and graduated from the National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He became the Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland in 1980. Following this, he was assigned to the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington D.C. before retiring from the Navy in 1984. A second career followed with Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., where he managed and was responsible for government marketing in the eastern United States. He retired in 1998 to Williamsburg where he lived since 1986. He married Joan Irene Phillips, of Coventry, England in 1957, and their two children Robin and Paul, survive him as well as four grandchildren, Ian, Emma, Kaitlyn and Jessica. He was a proud father, grandfather and he dearly loved his wife of 63 years, Joan (Tiger). He loved his grandchildren, golf and history. He was an active member of the U.S. Navy League and the Williamsburg Lions Club. Since retiring, he had served on the Williamsburg Arts Commission and other Volunteer positions in the Williamsburg area. A memorial service will be held at Patriots Colony after the current restrictions have been lifted. He will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.