Eileen Flanagan, retired Huntington public schools teacher, dies at 88

Retired Huntington schools teacher Eileen Flanagan was "all-business, no nonsense," and "self-assured" in the classroom, according to her former colleague Rosalie Schwartz.

Although she was a "strict, but ... firm" teacher, her tone was completely different when she talked about her husband, Schwartz said.

"Whenever she spoke of him, it was just with love in her voice. Then she became warm and fuzzy," she said.

Eileen Flanagan died on Oct. 22 at the Atria Hertlin Place assisted living facility in Lake Ronkonkoma. She was 88.

Originally from Brooklyn, Flanagan was a straight-A student with "nothing below a 4.0 [average]," according to her son Kevin Flanagan.

She attended Catholic school her entire childhood, and graduated in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in child study from the Brooklyn campus of St. Joseph's College — now known as St. Joseph's University — and attended Columbia University and Queens College for her masters, earning her degree in 1969.

She met her husband of 64 years, Peter, through mutual friends, and the two married in 1960; they had three children.

Schwartz described Peter Flanagan, who died in February, as having a "warm and fuzzy" demeanor.

"It's a cliche, 'opposites attract but they don't endure.' Well, in this case, they did endure," Schwartz said, noting the Flanagans' decades-long marriage.

As a mother, Eileen Flanagan was always "cheering us on," according to Kevin.

"She's a good supporter, definitely, but by-the-book type of person, so she wouldn't be going with us if it was the wrong thing," he said.

"She was an educated teacher, so she had that mind frame," he added. Between her and his father, "she was more of the disciplinarian."

Flanagan started her career as a New York City public school elementary teacher in 1958. After the couple moved to Huntington in the early 60s, she worked for Huntington public schools from 1960 to 1964. She returned to the district in 1976, staying until she retired around 2000.

"She was a person who took her job seriously," Schwartz said.

"She was always dressed to the nines, well-groomed, well-spoken, well-presented and well-respected," she said.

Peter Flanagan Jr., Eileen Flanagan's eldest son, said his mother "did a lot of artistic stuff with the kids, and [for] a number of years she did a play with her class."

He also said she was one of the Island's first middle school soccer coaches for girls, something of which she was very proud.

Beyond teaching, she was a competitive tennis player and enjoyed gardening, said Kevin, who added she could not "sit still."

One of Eileen's other loves: shopping.

"They knew her at Loehmann's department store," Kevin said.

"The manager would give her an award ... she knew everybody there. She knew when they were marking down clothes. She knew everything," he said.

She also bought dapper clothing for his father because "he was being seen with her, so she had to make sure he was in tip-top condition," Kevin said.

Eileen also loved traveling, with the couple visiting Ireland and Italy.

"She was a learner, being a teacher, so she enjoyed really learning cultures ... and she would put books together, her little photos of their travels," he said.

In addition to son Kevin of Greenlawn, she is survived by son Peter Jr. of Smithtown, daughter Kathleen of Smithtown; seven grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

Visitation was Oct. 28 at M.A. Connell Funeral Home in Huntington Station. A funeral Mass was celebrated at Church of St. Patrick in Huntington on Oct. 29. Interment was at St. Patrick Cemetery in Huntington.