Virginia H. Flaherty

Virginia H. Flaherty passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 29, 2023 in her home in Wilmington, DE at the age of 102.

She was born in 1921 in a farmhouse in rural Kansas as the first child of Harry and Eva Hougland. After graduating as valedictorian of her Prescott High School class, she attended Ft Scott Community College, worked several jobs as an administrative assistant before taking a position during World War II at the Sunflower Ordnance Works in Lawrence, KS. It was there that she met her future husband, John (Jack) Flaherty, a young engineer with Hercules Powder Company. They married after the War ended in September 1945 and began a life together, which took them to several states and Canada before settling in Wilmington in 1964. They had an active social life and enjoyed cross-country road trips with their three children and a dog and pulling a trailer, visiting extended family and marveling at the sites in many national parks. Following Jack’s untimely death in 1983, Virginia created a new life for herself, enjoying many activities with a lively group of friends, exploring new interests through classes at the Academy of Lifelong Learning and traveling domestically and internationally through Elderhostel. She was a proud member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood- Chapter D and enjoyed many warm friendships with her “sisters.” She maintained her membership at the Hercules Country Club, where she enjoyed golf and bridge for many years. She was a devout and faithful member of St. Mary Magdalen Church for close to 60 years, an active volunteer at the Samaritan Center, and she loved their bridge and bingo groups.

Virginia will be missed by her three children, Michael Flaherty (Tammie) of Cincinnati, OH, Nancy Flaherty of Wilmington, DE, and James Flaherty (Elizabeth) of Takoma Park, MD. Since she valued education highly, she was steadfast in encouraging all her children to complete college degrees, which they did. She loved visits with her two grandsons, Kevin (Christine) of Carmel, IN and Christian of Takoma Park, MD, and eagerly followed their adventures and accomplishments. She treasured photos and correspondence from her three great granddaughters, Kay, Joanna, and Teddie, of Carmel, IN. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, two brothers, Harry Hougland, Jr. and Robert Hougland, her daughter-in-law, Cynthia Flaherty, and companion, John Tuttle.

A Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at St Mary Magdalen Church, 7 Sharpley Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Cathedral Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Virginia’s memory to P.E.O. Sisterhood – Chapter D, DE, c/o  10 Morgan Hollow Way, Landenberg, PA 19350, or the Ministry of Caring, or Habitat for Humanity.