Nora Flanagan (nèe O'Brien) passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by the love of her family, on January 9, 2023.

Born to Mary and Michael O'Brien on December 3, 1933 in Tuamgraney, Co. Clare, Ireland, Noreen was the fourth of seven children. Childhood days were spent on their Ballymalone farm, which nurtured her love and gift for gardening. At the tender age of 16, Noreen left home to attend nursing school in Manchester, England and was awarded additional certification in Midwifery. As a Registered Nurse for nearly 50 years, she graced the lives of many with her knowledge, skill and compassion. She retired from the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale in 2000 and continued her service to others as a volunteer at St. Joseph's Hospital in Yonkers, NY.

In the Spring of 1959, Noreen joined her sister in America. She made lifelong friends working at Manhattan Eye & Ear Hospital in New York City. When they were not on duty, summer weekends were spent dancing in the Catskills, where she met, and fell in love with, a young publican from Donegal. "He was the kindest man I ever knew." Noreen married William Flanagan on June 30, 1962. The couple became the proud parents of three children: Sean (Laurie), Maura (John) and William (Victoria). The joy of her life was spending time with her eight grandchildren: Brian, Siobhan, Maura, Liam, Brendan, Caitlin, Jack and Faith. She was a member of The Riverdale Irish Society, attended daily Mass at St. Margaret of Cortona, loved evening walks and taught her family to enjoy the simple things in life.

In addition to her children and grandchildren, Noreen is survived by her sister: Mrs Mary Sheridan, her sisters-in-law: Mrs Mary Brown, Mrs Marguerite Flanagan and her brother-in-law, Mr. Anthony Flanagan. "Aunt Nonie" will be dearly missed by her many nieces and nephews throughout the United States, Ireland and England. Her strong love for family was celebrated every year at Christmas, on Fieldston Road, in our house "with the lions".

In 1980, we lost our wonderful Dad. It was Mom's strength-of-faith and quiet, caring ways that showed us how to move forward towards the future. Together with our family and friends, we will do this now. Although we mourn our loss, we are comforted by the knowledge that she is at home in Heaven, dancing again, with the kindest man she ever knew.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in Mom's memory to United Hospice of Rockland ( unitedhospiceinc.org ) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital ( stjude.org ) would be greatly appreciated.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, 10am, at St. Catharine of Alexandria Church, 523 Western Highway in Blauvelt with burial to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne , NY. Visiting hours will be Wednesday, 4 - 8pm at the Moritz Funeral Home in Tappan, NY