John (Tom) Flynn
John (Tom) Flynn, 86, of Plainfield Township., PA, formerly of Phillipsburg, N.J., passed away peacefully in his sleep at home. He lived in Phillipsburg 63 years before moving to Plainfield Township.
Born on May 20, 1937, in Phillipsburg, he the son of the late Francis T. Flynn Sr. and Blanche Jean Cantrel Flynn.
He and his wife, the former Florence Edith Ruch, celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary on January 24th of this year. He attended Saint Philip and Saint James Parochial High School, and after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, returned to Phillipsburg where he was employed by Ingersoll Rand Company until 1983. He then became an employee of IRCO Community Federal Credit Union, retiring in 2002. He studied Theology from 1974 through 1977 at the Center for Diaconal Training in Trenton and was ordained a Permanent Deacon of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Trenton on May 14th 1977 by Bishop George W. Ahr, and assigned to Saint Philip and Saint James parish in Phillipsburg where he remained active until the time of his death. In his retirement John enjoyed the quality time he spent with his wife and frolicking with his grandchildren.
He was a lifelong member of Sts. Philip and James parish, receiving all seven sacraments there, and was at one time a member of the church choir under the direction of Ms. Agnes Gordown. He was a member of the former Phillipsburg Area Council of Churches, serving as second vice president, first vice president, secretary and president, only the second Roman Catholic to hold those positions. He was a member of their food pantry, co-chairman of the Warren County Jail Chaplaincy Council, a member of the Warren Hospital chaplaincy committee, and a teacher in their ecumenical school of faith, explaining Catholic beliefs. He was instrumental in bringing ecumenical worship services on a monthly basis to the apartments for the elderly in Phillipsburg. Deacon Flynn was formerly the assistant chaplain of the Jersey Hose fire company and received an honorary lifetime membership there. He was elected to the board of directors of IRCO Credit Union, and was a member of the building committee responsible for the planning and building of their present home on Hillcrest Blvd. in Phillipsburg. He served as chairman for one year of The United Way’s Venture Capital Funding Committee. In 1984 he completed Equibank’s School of Consumer Credit and Loan Officer Training, and was chairman of the credit committee until its demise. During his employment with Ingersol-Rand he was a member of local 5503 United Steel Workers of America, its political action committee, its grievance committee and its negotiating committee. He completed the Rutgers University Labor Institute on Contract Administration, Labor Relations and Grievance Process. He completed a basic electricity course at Warren County Community College and Instrument Calibration Training at Leeds and Northrup in North Wales Pa. He was a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus Warren County council #474. He was also a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Northampton County Council 2.
Survivors are his wife, Florence, three sons, Edward C. and his wife, Stephanie with whom he resided; Thomas P. and his wife Ellen, Bethlehem Pa. and Brian F. and his wife Linda, Palmer Pa; seven grandchildren, Caitlin and her wife Molly Lieber, Sean and his wife Lauren Rosano, Cassidy, Delaney, Bailey, Michael, and Erin; three greatgrandchildren, Emilia, Jane and Felicity; his three sisters, Mary Lilly, Patricia Flynn, and Blanche Gebhard, and many nieces and nephews; He was predeceased by his three brothers, Joseph, Francis, and Daniel.
Calling hours will be held on Monday, July 24, 2023 at the Finegan Funeral Home at 302 Heckman Street in Phillipsburg from 6-8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday at 10:00 am at Sts. Philip and James Church. The interment will be at St. Philip and St. James Cemetery in Greenwich Township, NJ.
Memorials to his memory may be made to Saint Philip and Saint James Church, 426 South Main St. Phillipsburg, NJ 08865.