Funeral services for 91-year old Ed Flaherty will be Friday, October 2, 2020 at 10:00 AM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Crawford, NE with Father Arul Innaiah officiating.
A vigil will be held on Thursday, October 1, 2020 at 7:00 PM, also at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Crawford.
A memorial has been established for the Crawford Rescue Unit and Hemingford Fire Department. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron NE, 69337
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Edmund Frederic Flaherty was born on Mother’s Day, May 12th, 1929, to Bernard and Lola (Melick) Flaherty in Sioux County and passed away on September 27, 2020 at the Chadron Community Hospital in Chadron.
Ed spent 90 of his 91 years in Sioux County and received his education at District 28 and Curtis School of Agriculture, where he graduated in 1947. He then attended Chadron State College for two years.
After spending the summer of 1954 working at a dude ranch in Wyoming, Ed returned to the Sioux County family ranch to pursue his life-long love of ranching. He married Delilah Ruth Buckley on June 7th, 1956, at St. Bridget Catholic Church in Hemingford, NE, and together they raised two sons, Kevin James and Kyle Joseph.
Ed served as Curly District #12 School Board President from 1959 to 1973 and from 1996 to 2001, and as Sioux County High School Board Secretary from 1972 to 1986. He was also a 4H Club leader, a member of the Elks and the Eagles, and served on the Sioux County Extension Board and ASCS Board.
Ed made his living ranching and had a great love for animals. He enjoyed playing cards and dominoes, taking trips to casinos, and teaching his granddaughters how to make premium ice cream sundaes. He will be remembered for his generosity and public service.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Bernadine Dineen of Kearney, NE; brothers-in-law Jerry Lewis of Lusk, WY, Kevin Anderson of San Lorenzo, CA, and Donald White of Sammamish, WA; and sister-in-law Anna Marie Reece of Crawford, NE.
Ed is survived by Delilah, his wife of 64 years; sons Kevin Flaherty of Sioux County, NE, and Kyle (Trudy) Flaherty of Kearney, NE; daughter-in-law Kim Flaherty of Gering, NE; and granddaughters Kara (Kevin Whetstone) Flaherty of Denver, CO, and Kate (Allen) Chlopek of Fullerton, NE.
He is also survived by his sister Patricia White of Sammamish, WA; brother Bill (Carole) Flaherty of San Jose, CA; brothers-in-law Jim Reece of Crawford, NE, and Frank Dineen of Kearney, NE; sisters-in-law Mildred Lewis of Lusk, WY, Alberta Anderson of San Lorenzo, CA, and Vicki (Doug) Ring of Torrington, WY; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements