Terryl M. Flaherty

Terryl (Terry) Flaherty passed away at home, Wednesday, February 19, 2025. Terry was born on November 29, 1960, in Hastings, MN to Robert and Jan (Cook) Flaherty. A proud Veteran, he entered the United States Army at the age of 17 serving as a mechanic and later as a recruiter. He met the love of his life, Liz Lee of Moorhead, MN, on a blind date set up by her cousin. Terry and Liz married on September 14,1991 in Rosemount, MN. They briefly lived in Apple Valley and Willmar before moving back to Moorhead. Their family was completed with the births of son James (Jimmy) and, shortly after, daughter Erin.

Terry was a talented jack-of-all-trades, working at different times as a biomedical imaging repair tech, auto paint salesman, and hotel maintenance manager. He made easy connections and learned quickly in every role.

In his free time, Terry enjoyed baseball (especially the MN Twins), fishing, scrabble, cribbage, and a good grill-out. He had a passion for music, and Liz and he rarely missed the summer Fargo Blues Fest. In addition, Terry played and particularly loved the guitar, knowledgeable about all makes and models and fully appreciative of great guitarists. He was an avid fan of Frank Zappa, Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band, Deep Purple, AC/DC, and many other musicians and groups. He played with several close friends in a band called “Bad Influence.” Rehearsing and performing with this group was a treasured part of his life.

Terry was a handyman extraordinaire able to fix and remodel most anything indoor and out. He always had a project somewhere. In the last few years, he had also begun to enjoy taking his pet car -- a mint condition 2006 Pontiac GTO -- to an occasional car show.

Terry was an exceptional dad and grandpa. He was generous with his time and energy and always ready to support his children in their needs and activities. He had three beautiful granddaughters, and no “Papa” was ever more beloved. Terry was a natural caregiver to all, ready to listen, offer help or advice, or share his infectious laugh, all traits which were greatly valued and will be greatly missed.

Terry was preceded in death by his father Robert Flaherty, father-in-law Robert Lee and brothers-in-law Lee Neitzell and James Lee. He is survived by his wife Liz (Lee) Flaherty; son James; daughter Erin (Mitch Eidsvold); grandchildren, Monica, Madison, and Luna; daughter, Crystal (Dan) Braley; and grandchildren, Taylor, Jaxson, Colton, and Carmella; mother Jan Drolet; brothers Scott (Wendy), Keven (Liz); sisters Patti (Geno) Naasz and Janelle Miller; mother-in-law Joyce Lee; and sisters-in-law Linda (Michael) Sand and Trish (David) Cameron, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 27th at the Wright Funeral Home in Moorhead, MN with a visitation one hour prior and luncheon following. A livestream of the funeral service will be available here on Terryl's webpage. Burial will take place Friday, February 28th at 10:00 AM at the Fargo National Cemetery in Harwood, ND.