SCARBOROUGH — Thomas Shea Flanagan, age 89, of Portland, Maine, died on March 8, 2015, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. He was born in Bangor, Maine, on April 4, 1925, the sixth child of John P. and Helen Shea Flanagan. He graduated from Bangor High School in the class of 1943 and was immed iately inducted into the Army of the United States.

Following service in WWII in the European Theater of Operations, he attended the University of Maine on the GI Bill and graduated with the class of 1949. He began working for the USF&G insurance company as a resident claims adjustor in Bangor in 1951, and was promoted to claims manager for Maine and New Hampshire in 1961. He retired in 1990.

He was a gifted cabinet maker who worked under the tongue-in-cheek label “Acme.” Many friends and family were fortunate to receive his pieces. He was also a talented and prolific photographer with his own darkroom equipment.

Tom was a member of the Maine Woodworkers Association and the VFW Deering Memorial Post 6859. He also enjoyed teaching courses for aspiring insurance professionals.

He was a patient, kindly, devoted father with a gentle, dry sense of humor. He taught by example the virtues of patience, tolerance, hard work and stoic self-discipline.

In 1946, he married Constance M. Coleman of Bangor, and together they had eight children.

Survivors include his children David T. Flanagan and his wife Kaye of Manches- ter; Terrence W. Flanagan, M.D., and his wife Hope Hilton of Harpswell; Paula J. Dobrow, R.N., and her husband Richard Dobrow, M.D., of Marblehead, Mass.; Martha G. Whitener of Long Island; Nora D. Flanagan of Belmont; Peter A. Flanagan, D.V.M., residing in Baku, Azerbaijan; Lisa E. Flanagan of Portland; and Mark N. Flanagan, D.O., and his wife Maggie English-Flanagan of Winterport.

Also his grandchildren Liam Flanagan and his wife Mika, and Patrick Flanagan; Rachel Papantonakis and her husband Michael, Ethan Dobrow, M.D., and his wife Rebecca, and Luke Dobrow and his partner Kelsey Shepard; Samuel Whitener and his wife April, and Zachary (Buoy) Whitener; Daniel Holden and his wife Iveta, Arista Holden, and Thomas McKay, and Rory McKay and his wife Erika; Loic and Anais Penninck; Atticus, Quilla and Lucian Flanagan- Burt; and Margaret (Moxie) and Augusta Flanagan.

Also his great-grandchildren Zoe and Ian Fox Papantonakis; Blyth and Lewis Dobrow; Osa and Io Kingston Shea Dobrow; Cora Whitener; and Nickolas, Adrian and Benjamin Holden.

He is survived by his sister Kathleen McManus and her husband Reginald P. McManus, M.D., and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Connie, his parents and his brothers Wilfrid, Joseph and Charles, and his sisters Eileen Baragwanath, Mildred Warren, Helen Lynch, and Patricia Flanagan.

He was very grateful for the friendship and help of many, including his neighbors Steve and Marge DiMillo, the staff at the Southern Maine Dialysis Facility, the Portland Fire Department Engine 3, and especially, his PCA, Chatfar (Pare) Rodney.

He wanted as his epitaph that he loved his family and was proud of their accomplishments.

And his family loved him.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Maine Charitable Mechanics Association Hall, 519 Congress St., Portland, Maine, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 4. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. Johns Roman Catholic Church on York Street in Bangor at 11 a.m. on Wednesday May 27. With burial to follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite cause in his memory.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.