Some Of Pat’s Favorites
• Shopping: Findlay Market, Landwehr’s & Batsakes
• Watering Holes: Pompilio’s & Al Bonar’s Barbershop
• Adjective: “Dynamite”
• Event: Kentucky Colonels Bar-B-Q
• Small Batch Bourbon: Booker’s
• Music: The Delta Queen’s Calliope
• Food: Dolce Gorgonzola, Glier’s Goetta & Lamb Fries
• Saying: “VOTE LEFT and You’ll Always Be Right...”
• Auto: 1972 XJ12 Jaguar
• Song: Hallelujah I’m A Bum
• Politicians: Abe Lincoln, Eugene V. Debs, The Kennedys
• Pets: DeeDee, Izzy & Dolly
• Radio Station: WGUC/NPR
• Union: IWW (The ‘Wobblies’)
24 comments:
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I first met Pat Flannery at an anti Vietnam War march in 1970 and we have been compatriots ever since. He is like no other, unforgettable and irrepressible. Generous and so very loved by us all. We last saw him on Sunday past and he knew, before any of us that this was his time to go. We love him and will always miss that man.
David Little and Monica Solomon
My biggest memory of Uncle Pat is that of the night that he piled us all into the car and drove, I think, to Bracken County. Once there, we learned that our mission was to watch the loading of a donkey into a waiting pick-up truck. The donkey was then transported to Covington where it spent several nights in the Flannery garage, waiting for his appearance in the parade that heralded the arrival of then presidential candidate, John Kennedy. I remember Pat taking us the next day to the second story office of Gus Sheehan to witness the rally held for Kennedy as he gave his stump speach in the middle of Court Street.
That night gave me my first taste of politics, and Pat never missed an opportunity to pass along his point of view. I'll bet that I was the only kid on the seventh grade debating team who had a professional debating coach!
You might think that all of this early exposure would find me on the left side of the aisle. Not so. Pat is to blame for that. He opened that political Pandora's box, and out popped a Republican! I'll miss our debates as much as I will miss him!
May the road rise up to meet you, Pat!
Pat was truly larger than life. There is so much I want to say and it's too early, raw, and shocking to say them.
Larry brought me to meet 'the Cinn. cousins' in our 8th week of dating - Dec. 1966 and Pat left me no doubt what I'd be getting into.
I'll always love him and treasure every memory.
Abby
Keep em coming, spread the word, if you have pictures and you know a little HTML you can post them or email them and I can place them. A reminder if you don't have a blogger account you can click the Name/URL button under identity and type it in.
Someone asked about the obit link, here it is...
http://tinyurl.com/5avyu9
My absolute favorite memory of my Father was when I was 9 years old. One morning he woke me up and told me to hurry up and look out the window.......I went to the window and I thought I was in heaven! Not ten feet from me was an adorable, little black and white pony!!! He and Mother had been on a boat trip on the Ohio River with friends and as they were going through one of the locks, Dad struck up a conversation with a stranger and ended up buying a pony from him. The man's name was Walter and that is what we named the pony. What fun I had with that little pony for a couple of years. He was always in the local newspaper with his picture and a funny caption. Dad loved to tell the story, even up to the present about how the pony started getting really mean.....and the only person not afraid of him and who could control him was me. He loved telling that story to new friends I brought home.
He gave me my love of gardening, culture, politics and reading. He and I agreed on just about everything.
I'm going to miss the fights we would have out in the yard about the right way to do something !!! Some of our neighbors could attest to this as well. But, we always got the job done and ended up enjoying the work we'd done.
Molly Flannery
Pat Flannery. The name conjures so many fond and funny memories. I will always remember Pipestem where Pat, Joe and Dad led our motley crew of revelers through the 70's. Thank you Pat for showing us how to enjoy Life!
John
We practiced law beginning in the early seventies as a "chinese partnership" of Flannery, McMurtry & Brannen. Steve McMurtry, Debbie Smith, our secretary, Homer de la Saville - in the capacity of factotum - and I had a heck of a run with Pat during those crazy times.
The summer of the Watergate hearings we got little accomplished but enjoyed watching Milhaus Nixon's guys twisting in the wind.
What many may not know about Pat Flannery was that from time to time he kicked into rescue mode. Pat literally brought a number of professionals back from the brink ... looking into the pit of oblivion, guys that you know were recovered from the heap by the emminently practical Pat Flannery.
Guys who were about to lose professional credentials or even their lives were flat out rescued by Pat. No daydreaming leftist political action ... just straight common sense and practicality. That's the Pat that I choose to remember.
Chas Brannen
In the Irish tradition, anam-cara refers to a "soul friend."
I think that each of us can easily say that Pat was indeed our soul friend....
Random memories of my late, great uncle.
-Gorgonzola cheese
-Open the treasury!
-Barber's chair.
-Rose garden.
-Binoculars on the front porch.
-Seersucker suit and Converse gym shoes.
-Casually late.
-Father, Son, and the Holy Kid.
-Ernest Hemingway look-a-like contest.
...and about a million more.
... " HORSEBITE !!! " ...
My favorite memory of Pat when we were not even in the same room:
It was during the big flood of 1997 and I had been flooded out of my office in Longworth Hall.
The next morning my alarm clock did it's usual gradual rise in volume to NPR at 6 am. Through the fog of sleep I hear softly clinking glassware, objects being moved, laughter (one particular belly laugh). As I wake up and the volume goes higher I hear Bob Edwards say something to the effect of, "In most homes floods are cause for worry and loss. But at the Flannery house in Covington, Kentucky, the flood is an excuse for a party."
I sat bolt upright in bed laughing with Pat as he was then interviewed by Bob Edwards. The man always made lemonade with his lemons!
Pat, we will miss you so much. You will always be an inspiration to us and a source of laughter through our fond memories of life with you. Love, Donna
One of my favorite stories is the day we all gathered at Pat and Ann's to watch the stadium implosion Dec. 29 2002.
http://tinyurl.com/55dny7
http://tinyurl.com/58gr3r
Pat's comment was "too bad it wasn't full of Republicans"
I am trying to figure out my favorite memory of Pat when we WERE in the same room.
I haven't pinpointed my favorite yet.
There are so many.
Check out this link.
It is a photo of Pat Flannery with the governor of Kentucky and a third man who looks like Paul Revere.
Personally, I like Pat's hat the best. You be the judge!
http://www.e-archives.ky.gov/_govpatton/search/govphotos12-03/5_4_03_2.htm
Karen Samples of the Enquirer profiled Pat some years ago.
She said he was the last of a kind, she was right.
Here is a link to the article.
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2001/04/21/loc_samples_a.html
eddie, Thanks for the links, I was just about to post the picture when I saw your comment. My take on it was...
Found this pic on the web, I can almost hear Pat talking. What a bunch of characters I love the guy in the background in Napoleonic getup.
ALL THE GOOD PEOPLE WHERE HAVE THEY ALL GONE
Just a few of the people who made an pact on Covington and set toward the wonderful place it is becoming.
Pat Flannery leader of the pack and southern gentelman
John Clarkson "He's got a terminal case of the dumb asses." In a deep Texas draw.
Chuck Hiedleman "Let's cook some dead chicken and drink some beer!"
Mary Wood "What do you mean no dogs in the park!"
Dick Smith and John Kunkle The neighborhood would not be here at all if it wasn't for those two.
Ben Bernstein "Pat's good friend"
Sharon Loss "Classy lady"
Kay Thompson She took in John Clarkson among assorted others and stray cats.
Mrs. Puffenburger "Mama"
I'm sure they are having a wonderful party welcoming Pat and his great stories.
Ev, thanks for that. Yes, Pat WAS the leader. But there were many that were good studies. Love them all and miss them.
There is no way to begin this, so I'll jump right in.
My initial interview began with Pat (in absentia and late of course!) and Steve McMurtry getting a dustrag to wipe off about an inch of dust from what he referred to as "this will be your desk". Other dustballs were rolling across the linoleum like tumbleweed. This was the law office in the basement of the Hot L Flannery as I prefer to call it (I know some of you remember the TV series Hot L Baltimore). Within the first two minutes I should have known this was going to be a weird adventure. But what did I know? I was just an 18 year-old Catholic school girl and naive to say the least.
Needless to say, Pat did show up eventually and I spent the next 11 years with Homer de la Saville, Mrs. Kincaid and her sister Lizzie, Joe Broering, Kelly, and Murphy (the Murphy thing is a volume in and of itself). They were just some of the ones without law degrees!
I had the privilege of working with Steve McMurtry , Dick Slukich, Jess Moore, Chas Brannen, Dave Obradovich, Chuck Heidelmann, etc., all while the kids, particularly Patrick, Kevin, Molly, the Sweetsers, Todd, and all their friends, and dogs, ran in and out of the office.
Kenny Van der Veer and Anne were handling all the tax work, and I would sit in the middle of the large waiting room with people who would sit there for hours waiting to have their tax returns done. Pat would contribute to all this by going back to the laundry room and getting a hammer to hit on the pipes, our signal to run back to the laundry room for a minute to laugh with Pat. Stress management was his role during those busy tax seasons!
Pat took me to the courthouses and introduced me to people who I would be in contact with for filing pleadings, etc. He had a drawer of forms he had kept for various types of pleadings and told me if I couldn't find what I needed, he'd get it for me. He taught me a lot and I give him credit for my ability to be good at my job today.
I was introduced to the likes of Judge Dunn, Judge Diskin, Judge Dressman, and got to go to three-hour lunches at the Press Club,
404 Club, Travelodge, Town & Country, just to name a few, and be harassed for not drinking alcohol at lunch, and many cracks about let's get Debbie a Shirley Temple. There were a lot of Martinis and Scotches flowing back in those days.
And even after leaving there to go to work for the Deters firm (Pat wasn't very happy about that choice), we always remained friends.
Whenever I stopped by the office to visit, Pat would show me all his most recent restorations on all three floors, which would turn into a tour of "This Old House."
My last conversation with him was about a couple months ago when I called him to ask about how to revitalize an old oak cabinet, what to use on it, for a friend. Needless to say, I didn't even think about never talking to him again.
I hope he's having a good time up there with his daughters, granddaughter and Bill Leonard, Bill Hagedorn, Bill Bubenzer, Marty Mitchell. I can truly say that I probably will never meet anyone like him again.
Here's a toast to you, Pat, with Shirley Temple in hand!
Debbie
Robby Sweetser's Tribute To Pat Flannery...
On a hot July day in 1964 Pat knocked on the door of 502 Garrard St. soliciting contributions for United Way. My mother, Ruby answered the door. Two months later I entered the first grade w/ Pat Jr. at LaSalette Academy. That began a lifelong friendship that many rightly mistaken for family. There was always a seat for the Sweetser's in Anne & Pat's dining room and vice versa. The point of this abreviated story is simply this...there was never a stranger at 219 Riverside Dr. including the countless Minions that Pat hired over the years to fix something at The Flannery Hotel, 219 or The Carroll House. We can all envision Pat holding court on the front porch inviting friends & stangers who soon became friends..."C'mon up and sit a spell...can I get you an iced tea or a Hi-Ball"? Virtually everyone who knew Anne & Pat had sat with them on the front porch or had dinner w/ them in their dining room. Of course every dinner was a celebration w/ Pat when it included Gorgonzola cheese.
Pat's favorite numeral was TWO...2:
As in the 57 'yr magical union w/ his beloved wife Anne.
Pat is the only individual I ever knew whose pronunciation of a one sylable name, ie. Anne...became two sylables...his pronunciation wasn't Anne...it was AN&NE.
Re: TIME...there was the time we all keep regarding our professional & personal responsibilities & then there was PAT'S TIME. If you were in Pat's company you were on his time. Even the Judicial system...the movie theatres and the Cincinnati Arts community recognized PAT'S TIME.
Re; Currency...Pat either had a blank check that he was about to cash at Vieth's Grocery, Landwehr's, Klingenberg's Hardware, Al Bonar's Barbershop or Silverglades at the Findlay Market...but more often than not...Pat's currency was the money he just borrowed from you.
Speaking of borrowing money...Pat & I had a 20+ Year tradition of Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. Over the many folks joined us like Kevin & Pat, Chris Folz, Larry Mullens, Chuck Heidleman, Bill Leonard, Kenny Van der Veer, Eugene...come to mind...Chistmas shopping amounted to me dropping Pat off at Macy's to pick up a gift certificate for Anne...then we would visit inner city watering holes...The Bay Horse & The Phoenix...followed by The Palm Court. Several years ago we were on our annual pilgrimage when this fella was peddling his wares which were two recently released movies...ALI w/ Wil Smith & Oceans 11 w/ George Clonney. I challenged the fella as to the authenticity of the tapes to which he replied..."Don't worry I'm hooked up". The tape jackets did look authentic. The fella wanted $20.00 per movie. Pat negotiated a deal of both movies for $25.00. Of course Pat borrowed the money from me. Pat was really proud of his purchase. We came home and wrapped the movies and presented them to Anne Christmas morning. We popped the movies into the VCR and they were really grainy, barely audible...it was clear this fella taped the movies with his home movie camera. We laughed & Anne went to the kitchen to prepare Christmas breakfast which featured Gorgonzola Infused Goetta. Pat then said to me..."Robby I reckon you ought to jump in the shower and head over to The Bay horse as that fella said there was a money back guarantee and being as I borrowed the money from you & I've yet to repay you...perhaps you can get your money back".
Many will re-call just two years ago in October 2006 when we hosted Tall Stacks. It was an off year election & Pat had posted 27 signs in their front yard. Well I came in one evening with a new sign...PEACE IS PATRIOTIC...Pat said..."Oh Robby that's dynamite...put it up". Well Anne came charging out of the bedroom proclaiming..."If you put one more sign up I'm going to go out there and rip them all down". Pat's replied..."my dear sweet bride of 54 years, the front steps are a natural division of the yard...why don't you pick your half of the yard and do what you want with it and take the other half and post my signs." Anne replied..."I got a better idea...why don't I take the front yard and you take the back yard". Pat not missing a beat replied..." Well honey can I at least post one sign in the front yard...that reads...TO SEE WHO PAT SUPPORTS PLEASE WALK UP THE BREEZEWAY & INTO THE BACK YARD".
On a concluding note...in October 1968 Pat was winding up his campaign for Covington City Commissioner. Golly...no one ever had more fun running for public office. In his final campaign initiative Pat gathered all the neighborhood kids together on their front steps with our Halloween costumes on...doning a mask of Pat. The Post & Times Star and Enquier shot the photo. The next day the caption read..."Will The Real Pat Flannery Stand Up"?.
Well we all know what Pat Flannery stood for...
Pat stood for...Provoking Us To Challenge Conventional Wisdom 7 Think...
Pat stood for...Provoking Us To Form An Opinion & Express It...
But Most Importantly...Pat stood for...PROVOKING US TO LAUGH OUT LOUD.
With Much Love For...The Sweetser's Second Father...Favorite Uncle...& Best Friend...
I worked with Pat for several years in the famous and histoic Carroll House, beneath the Bull Moose shot by Pres Roosevelt and given to Sen Ernst long ago. Pat was larger than life and I am in a state of shock facing monday morning knowing Covington will be without him.
For example, I had an antique bird cage on a stand and the canary died. It stood empty for several months until Pat and his friend Chris Volz decided it would be a nice gift for me if they refilled the cage. After a few rounds of liquid courage they traveled to a farm in Milan , Indiana with the empty cage. They cornered a rooster in its prime and removed the bottom of the cage and stuffed it in, the poor thing couldnt even turn around. They came back to my law office and hung it on the stand and covered it up until my return. I was shocked to say the least! Then I thought it proper to deliver the bird and cage to his home on Riverside Drive. I carefully mounted the cage next to his first floor bedroom and lodged it securely with a ladder next to their window. When the rooster went to work about 6 AM the neighbors called the cops on the Flannerys for harboring livestock in the city limits. Poor Anne had to deal with the Covington Police while Pat and I went off to a Sat at Stengers Cafe for lunch in Over the Rhine.
I dont believe there will ever be another character like Pat, he was truly larger than life, a living legend, full of history, stories, laughter, and daily craziness. It just wont be that much fun anymore practicing law without him. michael plummer
My favorite Pat story when we were IN the same room:
The night Bill Clinton won the presidency I happened to be at Pat and Anne's nervously watching the returns.
I had never experienced voting for a presidential candidate who won the race. I was in a state of disbelief and euphoria as we all celebrated our good political fortune that night.
It was a first for me and I got to share it with the Flannery family. Of course, Pat's (in)famous laughter filled the room.
Uncle Pat, I know you are smiling this very moment after hearing Barack Obama's acceptance speech this evening, for after 45 years since JFK's death, our nation is once again finding its true heartbeat. After the speech, while out of town, I called my wife Kathleen and then my dad (your little brother Joe) and I felt a strong urge to call you and celebrate this magnificent speech and magnificent moment in Democratic Party history. Yes, I know you are smiling. Thank you for being such a character and expressing such passion in your life. You will remain in our hearts until the grand day that we see you again. As they say in Ireland, "On Corrib side, I'll see you for the run." God bless you.
Mike Flannery
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