Obituary
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James "Lim" Flannery

Date of Death: February 26, 2023

Date of Birth: January 29, 1949

Biography:

James Flannery, 74, of Arrowsic Maine, died unexpectedly on Feb. 26, 2023.Born Jan 29, 1949 in Queens NY to Mary and Lloyd Flannery, Jim spent most of his childhood on Long

Island where he enjoyed swimming, sailing, and ocean fishing with his dad.  After earning a BA in History and Psychology from Miami University of Ohio, Jim volunteered with a migrant housing project in Upstate New York.  That led to his interest in regional planning.  After earning a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Polytechnic, he worked as a highway planner in Massachusetts and Fargo ND/Moorhead MN.  The need to better understand the laws surrounding public land use policies led him to his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and was awarded the Order of the Coif.   He clerked with the Chief Judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals before joining a law firm in Philadelphia where he served as guardian ad litem for children in abusive homes.  To support his wife’s career, he then took a position with a law firm in Indianapolis.  As much as he enjoyed highway planning—and as much as he loved the study of law— most important to him and most rewarding was teaching.  While working toward his masters, he volunteered in an experimental elementary school where he taught science.  After practicing law in Philadelphia and Indianapolis, he decided corporate practice was not satisfying his need to make a difference in the well-being of young people.  He then completed the Teacher as Decision Maker Program at Indiana University Bloomington to gain certification to teach high school social studies.  He was a gifted teacher, demanding and fair, generous with his time, mentoring a diversity of students, sponsoring student groups, and creating one of the first legal studies courses for high school in Indiana.  Again to support his wife’s career, he moved to Pittsburgh where he taught in the Law School, sharing his knowledge, experience, and ethical approach to the law.  He was especially interested in supporting students who wanted a legal career in public service.  In his spare time, he wrote The Glass House Boys of Pittsburgh:  Law, Technology, and Child Labor (U of Pitt Press 2009).  

Retiring to Maine, Jim enjoyed swimming, woodworking, teaching himself to knit, birdwatching, travel to historic and archaeological sites (our last trip was to Chaco Canyon ruins), and serving as Election Clerk for the Town of Arrowsic.  

Jim was predeceased by his parents and survived by his wife of 52 years, Kathryn Flannery; brother John Flannery of Massachusetts; sister Patricia Haire of North Carolina; and special sister-in-law Marie Thoms of Minnesota.  

A private gathering will be planned for later in the spring to celebrate this dearly beloved man, true gentleman, honorable, ethical, and full of joy.  Irreplaceable.  

Many thanks to the lifeguards and paramedics who tried their best to save this precious life.  I know how hard this was but they all did what they could.  Bless them. Thanks too to the Bath police officer and Sagadahoc Sherrif’s officer who had to be the bearers of horrible tidings. They did so with professionalism and care.   Thanks also to Karissa in the Emergency Room for her gentle attention.  And to my remarkable neighbors and friends who have buoyed me, I am grateful beyond measure, especially big-hearted, wise Jeff Galuza who was there at the first.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to Amnesty International, the ACLU, Maine Audubon, the Bath YMCA—or a cause of your choosing.