Joan Flanagan

Joan Potter Flanagan was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York on January 21, 1926, and died March 24, 2020 in Grand Junction, Colorado. Joan grew up in Brooklyn with her mother and older sister. She married James (Jim) Flanagan in 1948 and had six children. In the early 1960’s the family moved to Kings Park, on Long Island, where Joan worked for many years as a clerk typist for the local school district. In 2008, at the age of 82, Joan packed up and moved across the country, leaving her home of almost 50 years to be near her daughters and their families in Colorado. She quickly set down roots, and created lasting friendships with her new neighbors. Joan was an active volunteer for HopeWest, both at the Heirlooms store and at the Care Center. She was also a long-time volunteer at Pomona Elementary School. Joan enjoyed and excelled at many activities, including reading, playing Scrabble, cooking, crocheting, painting and doing crafts. She loved to golf, listen to music, play with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, travel with her daughter, and visit with friends. After moving to Colorado, she enjoyed keeping in touch with her many friends and relatives in person, by phone and mail, and through social media. Joan was an active parishioner of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in both Kings Park and Grand Junction. Joan was preceded in death by her husband, James Flanagan in 1992, her only sister, Vera Potter Trinkaus in 2014, and her son Thomas Flanagan in 2019. Joan is survived by her loving children: James Flanagan and his wife, Marge, of New York; Kathryn Walker and her husband, Grant Walker, of Florida; Robert Flanagan and Diane Flanagan Weeks of Tennessee; Maribeth Flanagan, of Grand Junction, Colorado; and Carolyn McCann and her husband John Klausz of Rifle, Colorado. She is also survived by her loving grandchildren: Diana Flanagan Van Troba, Whitney Flanagan, Andrew Flanagan, Erin Walker, Megan Walker Karklins, Lily McCann-Klausz and Zoe McCann-Klausz, as well as seven great-grandchildren, 11 great-greatgrandchildren, and countless nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at a later date. A more caring, dynamic and generous woman you will never meet! We love you so much, Darling Mother, and we’ll miss you terribly!