Sean O’Flaherty of Milwaukee died on Friday, July 26th, 2024, following a long and courageous battle against multiple myeloma cancer. He was 74.
Sean was born on September 1st, 1949 in Orange, New Jersey, and grew up in Newark. In high school, he filmed games for the football and baseball terms, an innovation at the prep sports level at that time.
In 1967, he left New Jersey to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and never returned to NJ except to visit. In college, he reported on the Sterling Hall bombing for TMJ4 News in Milwaukee in 1970, and joined the station full-time when he graduated in 1971. Over the next 53 years, Sean held virtually every role in the newsroom from producer to editor to photojournalist to News Operations Manager, a title he’s held for the past several decades. Of the 5000+ people employed by The E.W. Scripps Company, Sean stood alone as the longest-tenured Scripps employee. In 2021, then-Mayor Tom Barrett proclaimed June 5th Sean O’Flaherty Day throughout the City of Milwaukee to mark Sean’s 50th work anniversary at TMJ4. In the proclamation, Mayor Barrett described Sean as a “trailblazer within the journalism community” and as someone who has “earned the enduring praise, respect and gratitude of his colleagues for his exemplary leadership and devotion to the community.” Veteran journalists liked Sean as one of their own, but so did colleagues who weren’t even born when Sean reached the quarter century mark at TMJ4. Two such co-workers attended a screening of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert movie with Sean, a testament to his ability to connect with peers from many generations. He will be missed by all.
Sean was preceded in death by his parents, Annette (Doyle) O’Flaherty and Charles O’Flaherty. He is survived by his brother, Brendan (Dan) O’Flaherty; his sister-in-law, Mary Gallagher; and hundreds of TMJ4 News colleagues and TMJ4 alumni.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at Feerick Funeral Home (2025 E. Capitol Dr. Shorewood, WI 53211) at 11:00AM, with a reception to follow.
A recording of Sean's Celebration of Life can be found here: Zoom Recording - Sean O'Flaherty Celebration of Life.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Sean’s name can be made to the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Foundation. Please choose the "scholarship fund" option.
Read More
