Flynn Family Update

This re-post is in honor of the fact that I've met a new cousin (second cousin technically), Erin, granddaughter of John Flynn (4-5 to us) and his wife Margaret (Fat Aunt Marg as we knew her thanks to our grandfather).  Perhaps she will enjoy this and share it with others.

We took a trip to Boston with our children and niece Jessica in April 1995. I can't remember if Jessica's sisters were with us, but I remember specifically that our entire ride out there was dominated by the radio broadcast updates on the Oklahoma City bombing.  Upon hindsight, we probably shouldn't have had the kids listening to all these stories but you couldn't help yourself.  It was a little bit scary as there was quite a bit doom and gloom speculation as to larger forces at work in this act of terrorism. And we had no idea what terrors were lurking in the future......

One of the stops we made was to visit with Patty Flynn Donohue and her sister Sharon Flynn.  They had never met any of you so it was kind of cool to introduce them to you guys in person.

Patty and Sharon are Weenie's nieces.  Weenie had two brothers:  Charles (Dinty) and John (whom we called Four Five).  Patty and Sharon are Four Five's daughters.  I don't ever remember meeting Dinty but I do remember going over to Four Five's house--a particular treat was to play with the poker chips in their holder.  Poker is apparently how Four Five got his nickname.  One of us ( I think it might have been me) counted out cards emphasizing FOUR FIVE between three and six.  Then he was Four Five.

Weenie called his wife "Fat Aunt Marg".  Though I didn't realize it at the time, she was anything but "Fat" and I'm sure that's how she earned her nickname.  Classic Weenie.  I also think we were the only ones to ever call her that.  I remember a little bit about these girls.  They were older than us and rarely around when we were there but always present in the catching-up phase of the visit.

This is Chris and Uncle Four Five in their yard in Olean.  Those Flynn men were pretty handsome all around.

I think this is the Flynn family in Olean. The young child is probably my mother Anne Flynn. Her parents, Francis "Weenie" Flynn and Paula Nevins Flynn are pictured next to her. The woman behind her is Barbara Lippman Flynn, the Flynn matriarch. Behind her is her sister Anna (can't deny they are sisters!).  I believe the other men are John (Four Five) and Charles (Dinty). 

Pretty odd about the nicknames, don't you think?  One thing I think about a great deal is how we all called our grandfather Weenie--just like EVERYBODY else.  The entire city called him the same thing we did--a little bit different than most grandfathers (and great-grandfathers--which he was indeed!)

So we can bring this right back around to Jess! Francis and Paula Flynn godparents to Jessica.