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View Full Version : Mike Flannery is gone...



DarkSkies
01-30-2010, 08:46 PM
As originally posted on page 2 in this thread:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5237&page=2



I have known Mike for awhile now. We used to swap fishin stories when he came to visit his daughter in NJ.
I was really interested in a lot of his stories because he was fishin before and after the Striped bass Moratorium, and remembers how things were. That's a unique perspective a lot of younger anglers don't have, and I appreciate being able to listen to Mike, and his recollections. :HappyWave:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8640&thumb=1&d=1260741905 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8640&d=1260741905)
Mike Flannery....Story and background
Mike moved to Babylon, LI in his early 30's. He married his wife Selma prior to that, when he was 22, and they have been married for 45 years.

They had 2 daughters, one of whom was a Valedictorian at Babylon High school. Mike has worked at hard physical labor his whole life. Around the time he got married, he got a job with the Suffolk County water authority. He dug holes for water mains and hydrants, a physically demanding job.

I believe he did some fresh water fishin when he was a kid. He started fishing the salt when he was around 30, and has been saltwater fishing for about 36 years. He's 67 now.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8644&thumb=1&d=1260746718 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8644&d=1260746718)



Mike Flannery is gone....
I just got the call from his daughter. I saw him last week, noticed some drastic changes in his health. He was a strong tough guy, with a body conditioned to withstand pain and punishment from years of digging ditches and physical labor to give his children a better life than he had.

He had been diagnosed with cancer. I knew that a few months ago, and initially there was some hope for him to beat it. At first they were fighting it with some treatment. When they didn't offer him chemo, he knew something was terribly wrong.

Last week he told me he was dying. It was tough to hear this guy who used to tower over other people tell me he knew he was dying, and what can you do. :don't know why:

He suffered tremendously this past week with the pain. Finally, God, in his mercy, took him this morning.

My deepest condolences to his family. I'm having a little trouble typing these words.

Mike, I know you're in a better place now. I hope to be fishin with ya someday. I have to believe that's possible, to move on from this. See ya on the other side, Mike. :(

hookedonbass
01-30-2010, 09:03 PM
I was lucky enough to meet Mike once. He was a down to earth guy and I am sure will be missed by the fishing community.

stripercrazy
01-30-2010, 09:32 PM
I'm sorry to hear that Dark, RIP.

Monty
01-30-2010, 09:54 PM
RIP, Sorry to hear this.

finchaser
01-30-2010, 11:13 PM
:(rip

Frankiesurf
01-31-2010, 12:07 PM
Terrible news RIP

rockhopper
01-31-2010, 12:19 PM
Hey sorry to hear the news, rip.

williehookem
01-31-2010, 12:31 PM
Thoughts and prayers to the family.

DarkSkies
02-02-2010, 11:02 PM
Went to Mike's wake tonight. My connection to him was through fishin stories, but it was cool to hear what some of the others had to say.

There were his family members, who were sad but had lots of good memories to share.

One of the stories I remember Mike told me was that when he was a kid, he was an orphan. A man and woman took him in and adopted him. He had polio as a child and had to overcome it.

His adopted Dad, rather than babying him, set out to make him self sufficient. As Mike's legs got better from the polio, his Dad made him dig ditches in their yard. He wasn't the best student in school, and Mike's Dad knew he would never get to college, so he decided to teach him to work with his hands.

In addition to making him dig ditches, he father taught him plumbing, some carpentry, and sheetrock skills.

Mike grew up and got a job with the water co in the town of Babylon. He rose in the ranks after starting out digging ditches until he was a supervisor.

All the guys he used to work with drove down from LI to pay their respects. They had nothing but good things to say about him. They said he was always fair, but always honest in his opinions and didn't play any political games when speaking to anyone at any level.

Mike was just Mike, and lots of people remembered him as this tall, strong as an ox, strapping guy with a vice like handshake. :thumbsup:

He will be missed.

See ya on the other side, Mike. :(

crosseyedbass
02-03-2010, 07:10 PM
Rip

Pebbles
02-03-2010, 08:31 PM
Never met the guy but Dark always spoke highly of him.

RIP