Michael Patrick FLANAGAN

1937 - 2018

Michael "Mike" Patrick Flanagan, of Boca Raton, died on December 3, 2018, at the age of 81. Mike was born in New York, New York on August 20, 1937 to James Flanagan and Mary Meany Flanagan. As a youth he attended Manhattan Prep High School, where he played basketball. After Mike graduated from Manhattan Prep, his family moved to Lake Carmel, New York, where Mike played basketball for St. James the Apostle Church, helping them win the Catholic league tournament. One of Mike's first jobs as a youth was at Kennedy Airport, where he refueled United Airlines jets and reputedly received premium vodka "gratuities" from inbound flights from Russia. In 1957, at the age of 19, Mike enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a Russian voice interpreter specialist as part of the 6988th Radio Squadron. For part of his enlistment, Mike was stationed out of Wakkanai, Japan, which was a Cold War listening post, from where he flew missions on RB-50 Superfortress aircraft near or over the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula. As part of his linguist training, the Air Force sent Mike to Syracuse University on two separate stints in 1957-58 and 1959-60. For his service, he received the Air Force Longevity Service Award, Aircraft Member's Badge and Good Conduct Medal. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1961 as a Senior Airman, Mike moved to Bethel, Connecticut. While in Connecticut, Mike attended Western Connecticut State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree, after which he entered the securities brokerage business. In 1971, Mike moved to Boca Raton, Florida, where he took a job with Reynolds Securities, which, after several mergers, became Morgan Stanley, where Mike worked until his retirement in 1992. In the '70s and '80s, Mike was active in the Boca Raton community, particularly through his involvement in his children's sports. He was a member of the Boca Jaycees, a community organization, and was a founding member of the Boca Raton Youth Soccer Association, where he coached each of his children for several years in addition to coaching them in other sports. As part of his commitment to the athletic and cultural development of his youth soccer players, Mike co-organized trips to England and the Cayman Islands. After a trip through north Georgia in the mid 1980's, Mike decided to build a home in Blairsville, Georgia, where he would spend time each year enjoying the mountain air, watching the birds and, rumor has it, occasionally stilling moonshine. In his more recent years, Mike enjoyed fishing, travelling, spending time with his grandchildren, occasional political banter, and keeping up with just about any soccer league (his favorites being Palm Beach Gardens Predators and the English Premier League soccer). Mike is survived by his wife of 54 years, Susan; his sister, Maureen Setaro, and her husband, Charles Setaro; his children, Matthew, Peter (fiancée, Julia Flanagan), and Michael; his grandchildren, Brooke, Mack, Tyler, Conner, Bryce, William, Skylar and Shaye; and his daughters-in-law, Shari and Gabriela. His interment will be held at the South Florida VA National Cemetery on a future date to be determined.