Morgan J. Flaherty

Waterford - Morgan J. Flaherty, 88, of Waterford, died Friday, Feb. 18, 2011, at Bayview Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Waterford.

He was born June 12, 1922, in New London, the son of the late Morgan J. and Saphronia M. (Dray) Flaherty. He married Eunice Thompson on July 16, 1949, at St. Joseph Church, New London.

Morgan graduated from St. Mary School, Bulkeley School, and attended classes at the University of Connecticut and Mitchell College. He was a member of New London Scout Troop #10 and was a Star Scout. He was an Army veteran of World War II stationed in England in the Port Marine Maintenance division from 1944 until 1946. He worked at Electric Boat as a first class shipfitter and later worked for the New London Post Office as a letter carrier from 1948 until his retirement in 1978.

He was the lone researcher for the Bulkeley School Alumni for many years. He was responsible for locating hundreds of Bulkeley Boys which resulted in generating more than $300,000.00 to the scholarship fund.

Morgan was a communicant of St. Joseph Church, a member of the Knights of Columbus Seaside Council # 17 since 1941, New London VFW Post #189, Waterford Senior Citizens, and volunteered for many years preparing taxes for many in New London and Waterford. He was a member of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, Tax Counseling for the Elderly for AARP.

He was a devoted St. Louis Cardinals fan since 1931 and enjoyed many other sports. Due to a serious childhood accident he could no longer participate in baseball, but played on many championship softball teams, Raiders Roost, Shipfitters, Racketeers, St. Mary's, and his speed and knowledge of the game were valuable attributes.

Morgan was full of wit and humor and had a sharp mathematical mind. Never was this more evident than when he was working as an income tax volunteer doing forms with a pencil and making no errors. He was very proud of this service to his community and people came to him year after year respecting his ability to help them at tax time efficiently with pleasure and a bit of fun. He enjoyed solving puzzles in the daily local paper, the jumble, cryptogram, and sudoku, and he tried to keep up with them during his illness. He liked to travel mostly in this country, exploring country roads, getting lost and finding a different way out of such experiences. All of this charm and humor will be sorely missed by his family, close and dear friends, and neighbors.

Besides his wife, Eunice, he is survived by his nieces and nephews, Patricia Churchill Byrnes, John Alden Churchill, Mary Churchill Samara, James Morgan Vincent, Patricia Vincent Jensen, and Peter G. Vincent.

He was predeceased by his bother, Joseph E. Flaherty, and sisters, Mary Ruth Flaherty and Patricia Vincent.

Morgan's family would like to thank Dr. Stephen Wei, the Lawrence & Memorial fourth floor orthopedic nurses, and the second floor staff at Bayview Healthcare for their care and concern.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, at St. Joseph Church, Squire St., New London. Interment will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, New London. Calling hours will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 12 Ocean Ave., New London.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Connecticut Humane Society, 169 Old Colchester Road, Quaker Hill, CT 06375 or Hospice Southeastern Connecticut, 227 Dunham St., Norwich, CT 06360.

For directions, obituary information, to send the family a online condolence, or to sign the family's online register book please visit www.neilanfuneralhome.com