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SUE MORROW FLANAGAN

SUE FLANAGAN Obituary

MORROW FLANAGAN--Sue, 58, passed away at home in Langley, WA on July 6, 2010, after eight years of cancer. Born December 20, 1951 in Oregon City, OR. She became an international journalist covering political events, Third World development, historic preservation, environmental issues and human rights for The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Economist, The Washington Post and the BBC. A longtime resident of New York's Hudson Valley, she was known for her work with Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, the National Maritime Historical Society, publishing Water Ways: New York's Waterfront News and founding the Kitchawan Institute. Sue is survived by her husband, Tom Laurenson; daughter, Lisa; son, Ruain; father, Roy Morrow and brother, Dean.

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Published by New York Times on Jul. 18, 2010.

Memories and Condolences
for SUE FLANAGAN

Sponsored by anonymous.

16 Entries

Geri

July 12, 2025

Rest in peace my amazing friend. I miss you & you are always in my heart. So many memories of all your hard work flood back when I drive around the Kitchawan area.

Geri Brewster

March 28, 2020

Sue, I do miss you my dear friend. Last night you came to me in a long vivid dream. We were at a conference in some mountain region and you were in your natural light, upbeat, happy self. The pandemic was going on but you weren't worried and you were reassuring everyone. So interesting because I had not thought of you in relationship to this current world issue, but you have always been so connected to world events that you reached out to me in this dream for a visit. Thank you. I love you. I miss you. May God bless all of your loved ones during this time. Until next time...xo

Sue

Tom Laurenson

April 16, 2014

Paul Kramer

September 22, 2013

good friend...rowing and working on waterways together in Croton. She opened my life to so many new possibilities.
She was tennacious and unsinkable. I am sad to have just learned of her passing. Roy, please accept my condolances and my best wishes for you and Dean.

cheryl aiello

February 6, 2011

I worked for Sue at the Kitchawan Institute. She was a brilliant, passionate, insightful woman and it was a blessing to spend the time with her that i did. I will always remember her, she had a wonderful and unusual energy about her that made a tremendous impression on me. Cheryl Aiello

Melissa Ferris

September 5, 2010

My mom and I met Sue in the waiting room at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She caught my mom's attention as she was sharing information and encouraging another patient who was there. She was passionate about what she was talking about and so intriguing...we wanted to meet her! We introduced ourselves and talked and exchanged information. Little did I know how important this new friend would become in my life and what an impact she would have as we both battled cancer. We developed a treasured friendship through e-mails and there wasn't any topic too personal or off limits which I loved. Her humor busted up all those tense moments that come with battling cancer. I will miss all the love, care, wisdom, humor, honesty, feistiness and interaction we shared. She challenged me to look at things from a different perspective and taught me meaningful skills...I can still hear her words "keep working the problem, Melissa, keep working the problem, you've got to keep working the problem" until at last I could solve it. She was so wise. There truly is just no one quite like Sue. How I loved her...and how I'll miss her. I miss her already. My heart aches. I'm sobbing as I write this. But, I'm also saying thank you, God, for allowing me the opportunity to know brilliant, fabulous, beautiful Sue. Sending love and hugs to everyone who had the privilege of knowing Sue.

Cimbria Badenhausen

August 23, 2010

Sue, I'm so sad that I'll no longer be holding your virtual hand in distant Whidbey Island. I treasured your emails of encouragement as I tried to follow your example, sent even as you worked to further the success of new cancer treatments. Your strength and courage will continue to inspire me all my days. The Kitchawan Institute will live on in all our memories, as will you. I'm sorry I won't be able to be there for your memorial, but I'll see you on the other side! Love always!

Lisa

August 18, 2010

Sue Morrow Flanagan's Memorial will take place on Saturday, August 28th, 3pm in the Carriage House of the Teatown Lake Reservation, 1600 Spring Valley Road, Ossining, NY. All are welcome to attend and share their story of Sue. If you have any questions, please call Lisa at (617) 7894-7496.

August 15, 2010

Dear Lisa and Ru,
Our sincerest condolences. Your mom was an amazing woman and mother and I was so proud to have her as my friend and for her to have known my family.
My sincerest condolences to Tom and Sue's Dad.
Sincerely,
Geri Brewster and family

Stacey

August 13, 2010

Sue was a joy to know. I had the pleasure of knowing her for the last 4 years and was honored to work with her at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. My thoughts and love go to Sue's family. I only wish that there were more people in this world like Sue, people who aren't afraid to ask questions and WAIT for the ANSWERS. If only there were more people who could speak their mind but also be polite and eloquent at the same time. If only there were more people who could make me laugh and cry in the same conversation. If only there were more people who could write like Sue, think like Sue, and push people like Sue. I hope her memory and her work will continue to be appreciated, remembered, celebrated, and that it will grow into what she always hoped it would be.

Arta Dobbs

July 23, 2010

Remembering Sue when she lived on Irving Ave in Croton. Such a good neighbor to my inlaws, Ernie and Madeline Dobbs. Great conversations over coffee, while our kids played together whenever we visited Croton.

Sara, Sue and Helle, June 1993

Helle Raheem

July 22, 2010

I met Sue briefly for the first time in 1977. Little did I know that, 11 years later, the young girl who attended my wedding ceremony in Katmandu, Nepal was to become my employer for 12 years.
I worked for/with Sue through her assignments at Historic Hudson Valley and the National Maritime Historical Society, and as part of the team at the monthly newspaper WaterWays: New York's Waterfront News. I also assisted her in publicizing several works on behalf of her grandmother, Emma Weston, and the founding of the Kitchawan Institute. Sue’s creativity and vision were truly inspiring. She had a magnetic personality and an unending passion for the causes she believed in, first and foremost the environment and human rights. Her knowledge of a wide variety of subjects was truly impressive, and she was continuously educating herself on issues close to her heart. She was also extremely generous and caring, and she had a great sense of humor.
I mostly cherish our work on WaterWays, which Sue published from 1990-1992 together with the brilliant editor Sara Tykol, who passed away prematurely a few years after WaterWays. That publication was cutting-edge in so many ways by its unbiased covering of issues of development and the environment. Looking back at the 19 issues, so many of the topics Sue chose to cover – such as global warming/rising sea levels, marine borer infestations, zebra mussels, the development of David’s Island, the plight of Long Island’s baymen – are still in the forefront of the public debate today, 18 years later.
Sue’s writing “bible” was the modest publication The Elements of Style. It helped her develop her own impressive writing style, which was recognized by many national and international newspapers and magazines. Sue’s words of advice to budding writers were: “Be concise, no redundant words, and - paint me a picture!” Sue touched so many lives, and her picture will remain vivid in many people’s minds. I am lucky to be one of them.
My deepest sympathies to Tom, Lisa, Ruain and Roy.
Helle Raheem

Lina Hamadeh

July 20, 2010

Our friendship with Sue started when we first moved to Cortlandt Manor 18 years ago. Sue was the best friend anyone could have, warm, kind, thoughtful and generous in every sense of the word. Her integrity and strength of character were best displayed when she fought for the causes she believed in such as environment protection and human rights. What a privilege it has been to have had her and her family as good friends. Our sympathies go to Tom, her husband, and her children Lisa and Ruain as well as to her father Roy and brother Dean.

Suzanne Martinucci

July 18, 2010

It is with great shock and sadness that I read of Sue's passing . . . I worked with her for a brief time as a freelance writer some years ago. We never met in person, but I remember vividly her voice, personality, and passion. My sincere condolences to her family!

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