Lester ‘Ray’ Flanagan

Ray was born at home on March 22, 1950, in Lantz, West Virginia, on the mountain above the Middle Fork River at the old John A. King Farm to the late Clarence Lee and Rosie R. (Hamilton) Flanagan.

Ray attended the Coalton school and belonged to the Kingsville Sod Busters 4-H Club, where he received several certificates and ribbons for his accomplishments. He was a hard worker and got his first job at Davis Memorial Hospital in Elkins, West Virginia, at the age of 16. He worked as a janitor and also in maintenance.

When he was older, he worked for several years with his brothers in Baltimore, Maryland, in bridge construction and masonry. He had quite a bank of stories to draw from about the years working with them. If he had written a book, I am sure it would have been a best seller. Ray was always a jokester. He liked to pick on people and make them laugh.

He was severely injured and disabled in two separate accidents. One in 1979 while celebrating his birthday and again in 1981 in a car accident, both of which left him with traumatic brain damage. Ray was never the same but still had humor and could still be so funny.

He was never married.

Ray is survived by three sisters, Louise Herron Esposito of Belington, West Virginia, with whom he made his home for 17 years (1992-2009) and who was also his caregiver, Mae Chapman of Florida, who helped with his care when she lived on Kelly Mtn and husband, Chappy and Lucille Spencer of Philippi, West Virginia, formerly of Junior, West Virginia; two sisters-in-law, Carolyn Flanagan and Linda Flanagan; several nieces and nephews; and his special friends and caregivers at Hopemont Hospital who thought he was a hoot and a handful. They affectionately called him “Ray-Ray.”

Ray was preceded in death by seven brothers, June, Paul, Amos, Earl, Bud, Roger and Stanley; two sisters, Helen Flanagan and Betty Spencer; two sisters-in-law, Alice (Phillips) Flanagan and Betty (Poling) Flanagan; one nephew, Bobby Kisner; and great nephew, Jacob Flanagan; one niece, Missy Anderson; and one great-niece, Victoria Flanagan; and two nephews by marriage, Tim Elmore and Dave Ryan.

Ray attended Stringtown Church with his mom and sister, Louise, where we was saved and baptized in August 1998. He was the last brother of eight and will surely be missed by all those who shared his life and loved him.

Friends will be received at the Talbott Funeral Home, 56 N. Brandenburg Street in Belington, on Friday June 14, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at which time a funeral service will be conducted from the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Jimmie E. Tallman officiating.

Cremation will follow and his cremains will be interred in the Trinity Cemetery near Belington at a later date when a private family graveside service will be held.

Condolences can be sent to the family at www.talbottfuneralhome.com.

The Talbott Funeral Home in Belington is in charge of the arrangements for Mr. Lester Ray Flanagan.