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The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., July 30, 1925, page 3
"Local Happenings"

     Mrs. Margaret Flannery, wife of William Flannery, died on Monday of this week, at her home, after an illness of some duration. She was born at Brooklyn, N.Y., and was 80 years of age at the time of her death. Her father came from Ireland to Brooklyn about 100 years ago, where he ran a blacksmith shop. Besides her husband, she leaves a daughter, Mrs. Kate Coffy, of Newcastle, Wyoming, a son, John Burns, of Tacoma; and a sister in Illinois. The funeral was held this forenoon, from the Catholic church. An obituary will be published in the next issue.


The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., August 6, 1925, page 8

OBITUARY

     Mrs. William Flannery, familiarly known to her large circle of friends and acquaintances as Margaret, who died July 27th, was born in Brooklyn, New York, 86 years ago, the daughter of John Downey and Ellen Toomey, natives of Ireland, who were forced to leave their beloved country nearly a century ago through the intolerable conditions imposed by the English landlords, then dominating the land.
     John Downey continued in the foundry and blacksmithing business in the then growing city of Brooklyn, New York where, with his sons and employees he developed an output of considerable proportions for the times. He died at the age of 60 years, evidently when Margaret was quite young.
     Margaret was 16 when she married Owen burns. The young couple did not, evidently, hesitate long in the decision to seek fortune in the West, and the trying times preceding and following the Civil war find them located in Des Moines, Iowa. The lure of the Far West, however, put aside for 18 years, finally prevailed and in 1873 they joined the little group which was developing the White River Valley, near the future great metropolis of the Northwest, Seattle.
     Owen Burns died in 1887, and after five years she married William Flannery and came to Klickitat county where they resided on his wheat ranch.
     To one accustomed to dwell in or about large cities this was, no doubt, a period of trial, as the hardships of country life were not alleviated as they are in these days of a better roads, motor travel and conveniences which are now considered as a matter of course. But she possessed that undaunted spirit which ever animated those sterling women who did their share in the upbuilding of the West, and accomplished her humble tasks persistently and well.
     They sold the ranch and retired to Goldendale during the Great War.
     She leaves behind her a memory which will ever be a cherished by those who knew her intimately - little acts of kindness unknown to the many, unwavering devotion to religion. There was nothing of the Pharisee in Margaret Flannery - her life was an open book.
     Feeling that the hour of her departure from earth was at hand, as a true Christian, she tested in the forgiveness of those transgressions to which we are all prone, hoping for the blessedness of the world to come.
     Besides her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Kate Coffey, of Newcastle, Wyoming, a son, John Burns, residing near Olympia, this state, and a sister in Illinois.
     Her mother died in 1899 at an advanced age.


The Klickitat County Agriculturist, Goldendale, WA., July 31, 1925, page 1

PASSING AWAY OF MARGARET FLANNERY

     Mrs. Margaret Flannery, wife of William Flannery, died at her home in Goldendale on the morning of July 27, 1925, aged 86 years. The funeral services were held from the Catholic church by Rev. T.A. Edwards, officiating.
     Margaret Downey was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., her parents having come from Ireland about 100 years ago. She is survived by her husband, a son in Tacoma, and a daughter in Wyoming, also a sister in Illinois.
     A more extended obituary will appear next week.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer