Frank X. Flaherty, 88, of West Hartford, the Leader of the Band, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 2, 2016,in the presence of his loving children. His loving wife, of 55 years, Eleanor, predeceased him. He was born on March 11, 1928 in at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury CT to Frank W. Flaherty and Theresa Freeman Flaherty. He was their pride and joy. He was Frank Flaherty, the piano player. He attended and graduated from St. Francis Grammar School, and Torrington High School. His first band was the Three Cheers, a group formed with a few of his high school friends. He was an army veteran, having enlisted in the Army after graduation. After his military service, he attended Seton Hall University with his cousin Tom, and, surprisingly, the two graduated. He received his degree in chemistry in 1953, and went on to a career in industrial chemistry first at Stanley Chemical in Berlin, then at Royal Typewriter in West Hartford. While visiting his dad at the West Haven Veterans Hospital, he met a beautiful feisty redheaded nurse, and his life changed forever. He and Eleanor Kinnane married on June 20, 1959 and made their home in West Hartford. They raised five children in a fun filled musical household. After years as a chemist, and having secured a U.S. patent for carbon paper, he decided he wanted the summers off, and went back to school at St. Joseph College for his Masters in Chemistry. Upon graduation, he went into teaching, landing eventually at Windsor Locks High School. He continued his practicing and playing of the piano all through the years, and played for many years with the Bobby Kay Swing Band. His most notable and happy years of playing were with those same high school friends in the Tom Carey Quartet, or the TCQ. They tried to play some of the current classic rock tunes, and were especially known for their rendition of Bad Bad Leroy Brown. He had two lifelong best friends who were also his cousins, Tom Murtha and John Quinn. Their love, friendship and fondness for one another and a good time was legendary, and was passed on to the next generations of cousins. He loved all things Irish. He made his first trip to Ireland in 1982, and it was the dream of a lifetime. He was a student of Irish history and he kept up with Irish current events, often trapping one of his kids in the kitchen for a lesson. He went so far as to learn to speak Gaelic. He appeared to be fluent until encountering someone who actually spoke the language. The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick honored him as the Irishman of the year, it was the honor of a lifetime for him. We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of his caregivers at West Hartford Health and Rehab, especially Grace, Claudia, Abra and Indie.
Our Dad was a man of deep Catholic faith, selfless love and loyalty for his family and friends. He had a great wit and laugh and the most beautiful blue eyes.
He will be deeply missed by all, especially his 5 loving children. He is survived by his children, Mary Rose Palmese and her husband Paul; Francis X. Flaherty Jr. and his wife Joanie and their children Liam and Shannon; Patricia Flaherty and her children Brendan and his wife Lindsey, Danny, Matthew and Tess; James F. Flaherty, MD and his children Eilish, Declan, Cailin and Colum; Margaret Prevost and her husband Paul, and their children Eden, Tatum and Peyton. He also leaves behind his brother-in-law, Reverend James F. Kinnane. He was predeceased by the love of his life, Eleanor, his daughter-in-law, Le-An Flaherty, and his parents Frank and Theresa. Funeral procession will be Monday, (November 14), 9:00 am from the Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Ave., West Hartford, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial, 10:00 am at St. Mark the Evangelist Church, 10:00 am, 467 South Quaker Lane, West Hartford. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford with military honors. Calling hours will be Sunday, (November 13), from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Cancer Center, 114 Woodland St., Hartford, CT 06105 or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 / got@woundedwarriorproject.org. Online condolences may be made at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com.