Joseph Edward Flynn

Joseph Edward Flynn, 87, passed away on Monday, July 6, 2020, in Lakeview, Oregon.

He was born to Irish immigrant parents John C. and Katherine (Crowley) Flynn on October 13, 1932, in Lakeview, the eighth of nine children.

Joe graduated from Lakeview High School in 1951 and attended Oregon State University and Oregon Institute of Technology.  He returned to Lake County in 1954.  Outside of several years of grade school in San Francisco and the years at college, his life was lived entirely in Plush and Lakeview.  

In 1956, Joe married Julia Doherty at Star of the Sea Catholic Church in San Francisco, CA, and they began their lives together in Plush where they would build a home and start a family on the family ranch. 

For more than 65 years, Joe was involved in all aspects of ranching life that began initially with raising sheep, and later in the 1960’s converted exclusively to raising cattle.  He was a member of Knights of Columbus, Lakeview Elks, Oregon Cattlemen's Association, and St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lakeview, and was a member of various water use committees at the state level.  

Joe was proud of his Irish heritage and enjoyed listening to Irish music and traditional Irish storytelling. He and Julia served as the Grand Leprechauns for the 2009 Irish Days festivities. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Denis C. O’Connor, wife Julia Flynn, brothers Thomas, Daniel, Cornelius, and John (Jerome) Flynn, sisters Margaret Dunne, Kathleen Flynn, and Maureen O’Callaghan, and several nieces and nephews.

He is survived by daughter, Kathleen Flynn; daughters and sons-in-law Margaret and Gregory Thurmond and Mary and Michael O’Leary; sons Thomas and Joseph John Flynn; grandchildren, Megan (Jason) Kruse, Jack O’Leary, Morgan Thurmond, Tess O’Leary, and Sean Thurmond; great-grandsons Cooper and Calder Kruse; great-granddaughter Coulson Kruse; brother and sister-in-law Jack and Breda Flynn; sister-in-law Elouise Flynn; and brother-in-law Rodney Murray.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, church and graveside services will be private for family only.  Burial will be at Sunset Cemetery in Lakeview.

Memorial donations may be given to the Warner Valley First Responders, C/O LDU PO Box 1007, Lakeview, OR. 97630, St. Patrick Catholic Church PO Box 29 Lakeview, OR 97630, or to a charity of one’s choice.

Desert Rose Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements. 

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