Obituary: Le-An Marie Wilcox Flaherty

With great sorrow in our hearts and profound grief we watched sadly as Le-An completed her time here on earth following a beyond- courageous, near epic battle for her life which she waged on behalf of her family. She passed on to her well-deserved eternal reward on June 8, 2012, under the loving care of Doctor Jon Sporn's oncology team at St. Francis hospital in Hartford, CT.

She was born July 17, 1964 in Concord MA. She graduated from Billerica High School in the class of '82. She was a well-rounded, highly regarded athlete while there. From there she completed her public health degree at UMASS Amherst and then on to attain her RN from Mattituck Community College in Waterbury, CT, where she served as class president. She worked on the transplant unit and open heart unit at Hartford Hospital prior to travelling to Ireland where she worked at St James' hospital in Dublin.

Upon returning to the United States she started her family with her loving husband but continued working as an endoscopic nurse. Her final career move placed her at Quinnipiac College where she was in the midst of attaining her Advanced Practice Nursing degree when stricken.

Lee loved being a nurse and was extremely proud of her profession and mentors as she was able to bring to bear in the comfort of others her tremendous fund of knowledge, skill and compassion. She will be missed by her many patients and colleagues.

Above all else, she loved her family and dear friends, most of whom she considered her family and taught her children to regard them as such. She was a devoted mother to her children who she loved so dearly, Eilish, Declan, Cailin and Colum.

She lived her life to its fullest and with passion, missing no opportunity to enjoy the company of others. She would often say that she had no regrets, only joy and situations to learn from. She was always "first in "and usually "last out" when a friend was in need. She brought her great passion for life into every endeavor.

She was actively involved in her children's school and sports activities. She was fair minded to a fault and advocated on behalf of all acting as a role model for her children. She truly enjoyed her active life, exercising with vigor, walking in the reservoir, playing in the West Hartford Women's Soccer league, swimming in her pool or playing ice hockey with her children and husband on the backyard rink.

She loved country music and classic rock and attended concerts always in the company of close friends. Being from Boston and seeing Aerosmith and Springsteen at Fenway Park with her best friend Karen were events of a lifetime. She was oblivious to her beauty, and was surprised to discover that she was the "Jumbotron girl" at a Jimmy Buffett concert.

She loved family trips to Disney, Alexandria, Virginia but most of all Squam Lake in New Hampshire. While on vacation or visiting, site-seeing was not for her, it was a time for greeting old friends, meeting new ones and long talks stretching deep into the morning and filled with laughter around the campfire, picnic table or kitchen counter. Everything was special at Squam, walking Scary hill, climbing Rattlesnake, the science center, the polar caves, boat trips to Big Rock, tubing and water skiing.

Lee leaves behind her loving, devoted husband James Flaherty MD and their children, Eilish, Declan, Cailin and Colum, as well as Yankee her beloved Golden Retriever, all of West Hartford; her dear mother Mary Ladd and her husband Steve of Middletown, CT; her dear father Robert Wilcox and his wife Debbie of Loudon, NH; her brother Chris Wilcox and his children Sawyer and Carter; her aunt Joan Gustin and her husband of Middletown, CT; her uncle Richard Gustin, his wife Gerta and their children Katie and Tom of Regina, Saskatchewan; MaryRose and Paul Palmese of Berlin, CT; Frankie and Joanie Flaherty and their children Shannon and Liam of Darian, CT; Patricia Flaherty and her children Brendan, Danny, Matt and Tess of Athens, GA; Peggy and Paul Prevost and their children Eden, Tatum and Peyton of Alexandria, VA; Frank and Ellie Flaherty of West Hartford and Father James Kinnane of Holy Spirit Church in Newington.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday June 14 at 10 a.m. at the the Church of 47 Pleasant St., West Hartford. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday June 13 from 4-8 p.m. at the , 136 South Main St., West Hartford.

In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to be made in Le-An's name to the St. Francis Hospital Cancer Center or a charity of your choice.

The family would also like to express their deep gratitude to Lee's community of friends who gave so much assistance during difficult times and finally the wonderful nurses and compassionate aides on her hospital floor.

For online condolences and directions please visit www.taylorandmodeen.com.

Obituary reprinted courtesy of Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home