George A. Flaherty

George A. Flaherty, 77
PORTLAND -- George A. Flaherty, 77, died from complication from a stroke at St. Joseph's Manor on July 16, 2011. The son of Alfred and Gladys (Thompson) Flaherty, he was born in Portland on March 22, 1934. After graduating from Deering high school in 1953, he joined the Navy.
On June 7, 1958, he married Doris Gould at St. Joseph's Church in Portland.
After his service in the Navy he returned to Portland and attended the University of Southern Maine, graduating in 1963. He then started his 35 years of service working for the City of Portland.
George started out as an assistant purchasing agent for the city and then became deputy director of finance, assistant city manager and finally director of public works which was later consolidated into parks and public works.
Having been born and raised in Portland, George was truly a public servant to the city. Upon retirement from the city of Portland he decided he was not ready to retire so he went to work for Cumberland County as the emergency management director retiring again in 2007.
Finally retired he decided to volunteer with Casco Bay Estuary, the Soil and Water Conservation, sat on the board of visitors at the Maine State Prison, and was involved with the Emergency Management Services, and Southern Maine Agency on Aging. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Joseph's Church.
Highlights of George's career were a trip to the Soviet Union as a Good Will Ambassador through the People to People Program. The other highlight was his interview with Barbara Walters on the Good Morning America Show where he was standing on top of a mountain of snow, at the Preble Street parking lot cleared from the downtown streets. The mountain was named Mt. Flaherty by his beloved city in his honor. George is survived by his wife Doris of 53 years; a daughter Shelia Flaherty of Lyndhurst N.J., a son Mark and his wife Mary Flaherty of Standish; and two grandsons, Parker and Conner Luland. Family and Friends are invited to a time of visitation on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, from 1-3 and 5-7 p.m., at Jones, Rich and Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at 10 a.m., at St. Joseph's Church, 673 Stevens Ave., Portland. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign George's guestbook.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in George's memory to:
The Alzheimer's
Association of Maine
383 U.S. Route 1, Suite 2C
Scarborough, Maine 04074
or to the Portland Trail System
305 Commercial St.
Portland, Maine 04101
George A. Flaherty
Jones, Rich & Hutchins
Funeral Home & Cremation Service
775-3763