Helen Mary Flanagan, age 93, of Madison, AL passed away on Friday, March 21, 2025, at her home surrounded by her family.The visitation will be from 11 a.m. to the start of the funeral services at 12 noon on Friday, April 4, 2025 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church located at 1055 Hughes Road, Madison, AL 35758. The Rev. Bryan K. Lowe presiding.
Helen was born on December 11, 1931 in Kingston, PA to Charles Gedde Wallace and Helen Catherine Wallace (nee Kupstas). She attended College Misericordia in Dallas, PA for two years and later earned a BBA degree in Business Administration from Marymount University of Virginia, Arlington, VA.
Helen was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church for 39 years. In the last few years, Helen attended Mass six days a week. She contributed her time to the Church in several capacities, most recently as a Greeter. (In prior years, Helen was a Eucharist Minister and worked in the Religious Gift Shop.) Helen was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Women’s Auxiliary.
Helen was also a member of Madison Women’s Club and the Beta Sigma Phi International sorority.
After raising all seven of her children until they were school age, Helen went back to work outside of her home in (or around) 1975. Helen worked for several different businesses (including a bank, Sperry Systems Management, Telemedia, Inc. and Edman Enterprises Construction Company) until landing a job with the General Electric Company. Helen’s husband, Joseph Burke Flanagan, Jr., worked for General Electric for 39 years. No nepotism was involved – Helen earned her job at GE! As part of a transfer within GE, Helen and Burke moved to the Huntsville, AL area in 1986. After retiring from GE, Helen and Burke were founding members of Neoteric Technologies, Inc. (known as Neotek). Neotek was in the business of Aerospace Research and Development, and Helen was its President and Chief Operating Officer. Helen worked at Neotek from 1990 until her second retirement in 2005.
Helen was a devoted and loving wife and mother. After 51 years of marriage, her first husband Burke died on November 24, 2005. Helen and Burke had seven children: Joseph Burke Flanagan, III; Charles W. Flanagan (Debbie); Shawn M. Flanagan (Kathy); Mark T. Flanagan (Graca); Rebecca M. Kirkconnell (Bill); Sara A. Greenberg (Brian, deceased); and Erin C. Davis (Cliff). Helen enjoyed a lot of travel (including in Europe to such places as Great Britain and Ireland) with her second husband, William “Jay” Stone, who passed away on September 18, 2017.
Helen had 13 grandchildren: Valerie (Chris), William, Michael (Jennifer), Jamie, Casey (Lauren), Laughlin, Nicky (Laura), Danny, Patrick, Ryan, Christopher (Teralyn), Brendan and Michelle. Helen also had 7 great-grandchildren: Cody, McKinley, Easton, Brayden, Liam, Quinn and Isla.
Among Helen’s many joys were walking 2 to 3 miles every day with family members and friends and taking Zumba classes at the Madison Wellness Center. Helen believed in exercise, eating healthy foods and taking vitamins on a daily basis.
The Flanagan family would like to thank the wonderful nurses at Hospice Family Care (Huntsville, AL) for the care and compassion they showed toward Helen.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 1055 Hughes Road, Madison, AL 35758.
