Anthony J. Flanigan, 104, Artist Who Had His First Showing At 100
Bill Schenley
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04027/266035.stm
Anthony J. Flanigan, a colorful late-bloomer who had his
first solo exhibition as a painter at age 100, died
Saturday. He was 104.
Mr. Flanigan -- "Andy" or "Pap" as he was known to his large
family and many friends -- spent his working life on
trolleys but became famous for his painting, which he'd
taught himself as a pastime in his early 70s.
He and his artwork became common sights in Brentwood, his
home for the past 35 years. For the last seven, he lived
with his son, Jack, who continued to take him at 3:30 every
afternoon to Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 1810, where Pap
would drink two shots of Fleischmann's whiskey and two
beers.
The post, which named him "Man of the Year" in 1998, is
where he celebrated his 100th birthday the next year,
receiving two quarts and a thank-you note from the
Fleischmann's distillery.
Saturday, Mr. Flanigan's daughter-in-law, Marge, was driving
him home from one of his treatments for internal blood loss
when he told her, "I'll buy ya a shot and a beer if you stop
at the VFW." But he didn't look well and so she took him
home, where he later died in his sleep on his recliner.
His son said he'd been happy since 2000, when he was
"discovered" by local promoter and folk art aficionado Pat
McArdle. McArdle set up an exhibition of his work at a
Shadyside gallery and helped get one of his works into a
2002 show of "outsider" art at the Sen. John Heinz
Pittsburgh Regional History Center.
His paintings now hang in the borough building, library and
other public places as well as homes.
"And he never had a painting lesson in his whole life," his
son said. "I don't know how the hell he ever did it."
Mr. Flanigan was born on Nov. 1, 1899, in Lawrenceville. As
a young man, his various jobs included making brass shell
casings at Westinghouse Electric during World War I, when he
tried three times to enlist in the military but was rejected
because his homefront work was too important.
In 1918, he started as a conductor for Pittsburgh Railways
Co. He worked as a motorman and a motorcycle-riding route
supervisor until he retired in 1964 from what was then part
of Port Authority Transit.
It wasn't until the late 1970s, while he was at home caring
for his ailing wife, Catherine, that he decided to try to
kill some time by painting. With some Green Stamps, he got
an oil painting kit that included brushes and 18 tubes of
paint. And he started painting -- landscapes, wildlife,
still lifes, boats and trolleys -- lots of trolleys.
"He couldn't have been more warm and fuzzy," said McArdle,
who bought several of Mr. Flanigan's paintings before
persuading him to let him curate an exhibition in 2000.
Mr. Flanigan also is survived by another son, James D., also
of Brentwood; sister Mary Hamilton of Conneaut Lake; nine
grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and five
great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today and
tomorrow at John F. Slater Funeral Home Inc., 4201
Brownsville Road, Brentwood. A funeral prayer will be
offered at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home, followed
at 9 a.m. by Mass in St. Sylvester Church, Brentwood.
Memorial contributions may be made to VFW Post 1810, 3801
Saw Mill Run Blvd., Brentwood 15227. That's where the family
will hold his wake Thursday.