Some of my favorite memories from college have featured Bill Flanagan. I've reminisced more than a handful of times of the hours I spent sitting across from him in his office chatting.

One of the many things I loved about Flanagan was his teaching style. He filled his classroom with stories and conversation, nurturing a true dialogue rather than a memorization of theory. Flanagan deepened my love of Urban Sociology, inspired me to follow my passion, and made me laugh, alwaysat myself and at the world and how wonderfully crazy it is.

I remember sitting in his office after I graduated from college, dragging my feet to say goodbye. He asked what I would be doing to celebrate. I replied that my Dad and I had plans to go out for dinner, have a glass of bourbon, and share a cigar. I asked if he ever smoked, I'll never forget his response: Cigars- occasionally. The funny stuff-not for years.

Always a surprise to toss into the mix- sparkling eyes and a great sense of humor. That's how I will remember you. You will be missed.

With Love,

Ali Cooper

Coe College 2002-2006

PS. Thank you for being my teacher.

Although I found out about his passing shortly after and have sat down a few times to write this-words fail. I have so many fond memorizes of the sociology program at Coe and was lucky to be instructed by quality professors. Dr. Flanagan was a special part of a formula that created a warm and diverse feeling in the department. I took many classes with him and gained such a strong respect for his kind spirit and lecture style. When times were rough he kept me on track.

Now, as an instructor I find myself sometimes thinking WWFD? For previous students who now teach so many class examples and tricks can be attributed him. Getting up on a desk will never be the same. I cant count the number of times I have been struggling and pulled out a Flanagan to save the day. I am really heartened reading through the other comments here. I find myself coming back a lot.

I just imagined he would always be around-sitting in a dimly lit office theorizing and conceptualizing with others like some sociological sage. I'd pop my head into his office and announce, It has been a long time Dr. Flanagan and I've just come to tell you I'm not in jail, I'm a criminologist-thank you! I think he would have liked it to go down that way.

Some professors earn that title the day they get committee signatures and land a tenure track job and that's it and others continue to earn it M-F.

He was the latter.

All I Have to say is Thank You.....Pilamayayelo Kola Tocse..

My condolences to the family and friends of Dr Flanagan. What a wonderful man and professor. May he rest in peace.

I was a student at Coe from 1984 - 1988, graduating with B.A.'s in psychology and theatre. I took a number of sociology classes and had hoped to get a minor in it, but didn't have enough time to fulfill the requirements (I think there was a thesis required, and my dedication to the performing arts outweighed my desire to write a thesis! :-). I did do a J-term internship one year, and Dr. Flanagan was my supervisor: I interned at a court-appointed youth shelter in town, and reported to Dr. Flanagan. I remember that experience fondly, as it was quite challenging, and really wonderful.

I also recall that Dr. Flanagan fulfilled the need for me to be interviewed for one of my grad school applications (it was Penn State, though I did not ultimately go there). I always appreciated Dr. Flanagan's genuine spirit, his care and openness, and his soft quality towards his students. I was really sad to just learn of his passing, and hope his family and friends know that he is remembered with great fondness.

Bill Flanagan was one of my favorite Sociology professors while I attended Coe College from 1980-1984. He always taught with a sense of humor and a sense of compassion and he will be greatly missed by all of his former students. May he rest in peace.

I just wanted to say how sad I was to hear about Dr. Flanagan's Passing. I went to Coe with the intentions of majoring in Psychology until I took a Sociology class from Dr. Flanagan. What a great professor and man. I loved his classes and learned so much from him. I am still thankful to this day for all the opportunities and support he gave me during my time at Coe and after. May you find peace in your memories!

I am devastated to learn of Bill's demise. My best wishes and hopes for his family (who I did not know, but heard a lot about) - I empathise with your loss.

My deepest condolences to William's family on his untimely passing.

Dr. Flanagan was my favorite professor at Coe. Funny and smart without really trying to be either. All around good guy. My condolences to his family.

To my newfound and yet-to-meet cousins, please accept my deepest sympathy on your Bill's passing.

Bill was an amazing professor. I took all the classes I could for him and learned so much! I loved his gentle approach and philosophy on life. I have kept touch with him for many years since graduating Coe. I am so sorry to hear about the loss. Thanks for all you did! You will be missed. I know you touched many students lives in ways you will never know!

What a nice man. Thoughts and prayers are with all that knew Bill. Hugs Kim

Dear Tim and Family,

Dear Sheila, Tim, Dot, Tom, Lyn, and all the family,

My family and I are deeply saddened by Bill's passing and share your grief. You all know better than anyone the beauty of his kind, generous, gentle, compassionate heart, and the profound impact he had on the lives of his family, colleagues, and students.

When Bill and I got together several weeks ago he was as happy as I have ever known him to be. He was so proud of you both, Tim and Sheila, and who you had grown into. He was pleased with the legacy of his book and his impact on the lives of his students, and deeply contented with the way his own life had unfolded.

I don't have the words to express how much Bill meant to me and how grateful I am to have shared 15 rich years of life with this beautiful man and with this wonderful family. Bill changed my life. Bill changed me and blessed me in countless ways. I pray that all of us who mourn him will be comforted, and Bill's newest journey, will be sweetened by the memory of great love greatly shared and the gratitude of so many for all the blessings he brought into so many lives.

God bless you, Bill!

Bill was one of the best people I have ever met. I am very sad to hear of his passing. He was very smart, soft spoken and always had a smile for you whenever you saw him. He leaves behind a wonderful family and a great legacy. I am honored to have known such a wonderful person. My condolences the entire Flanagan family especially Tim who is one of my closest friends. My heart is breaking for you all.

I was so saddened to learn of Bill's passing. I was a student in his class in his first semester at Coe and he had a huge impact on my life from that point forward. He was one of the kindest, most gentle men I knew and a wonderful mentor. He was never too busy for his students and was all to willing to be my advisor for my senior honors project in Sociology. It was always so wonderful to run into him in the years after Coe and catch up. What a wonderful man!!! He and those smiling Irish eyes will be truly missed. Jan McCool/ Class of 1980

I completely share Aliye's (my wife) sentiments about Bill. He was a Saint in the truest sense of the word. I wish that I could have gotten to know him more, that I I could have benefited more from his wisdom.

Bill, you were the gentlest and kindest person I have ever had a chance to meet. You would treat every person, idea with respect and would never have anything bad to say about anyone even if they sometimes deserved it. I had the privilege to have known you and I am deeply saddened by your untimely departure. My condolences to the family.

I had the opportunity to know Dr. Flanagan over the course of many years. First as the son of his co-worker, Dr. Lee Binhammer and later as a student. I will always have fond memories of Dr. Flanagan, and words can not detail the respect I have for him, and the appreciation for the time he made for me as a student and friend. His quiet way to keep me grounded and his humor, however subtle, but right on target, will be always remembered.

My deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Flanagan. It is an HONOR to have met and have been taught by Dr. Flanagan. He was a wonderful person and professor. As a professor he always made you see the world a little bit different. I remember he would say," Things are not always what they seem." He was right. He was funny and you could never get one pass him. Just by looking at his picture we can see that twinkle in those eyes. He will be missed by many but not forgotten. My Prayers are with you and Sorry for Loss.

I am very sad to hear of Professor Flangan's passing. He was one of two professors at Coe who had a profound impact on me as a student and on my life in general. In reading all of the memories left so far it is obvious that he instantly had an impact on everyone who came into contact with him. I hope he knew how much he was thought of and loved. Sending thoughts to his family and friends today.

Dr. Flanagan was my former academic advisor and professor as an undergraduate student at Coe College.

I am saddened to hear of Bill's passing. He and I used to commute together between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, when we were both teaching at Coe College. What a lot of mental territory we covered on those 40-minute drives! Music, politics, travel, writing, the joys and challenges of teaching,... During the past few years, two opportunities to get together fell through, to my great regret. I will cherish my copy of his book on Ireland, which I had planned to ask him to sign. But I don't need the signature. I have the memories.

I'm so sad to hear of Bill's death. He was a friendly and energetic colleague, respected and beloved. I sent the sad news to one of Bill's students from more than 15 years ago, a Japanese student who graduated from Coe with a degree in sociology, a major chosen because of Bill. Following his graduation from Coe, this young man went on to earn a his M.A. in anthropology. He wrote back in response to the sad news about Bill:

As a young faculty member, I will never forget the welcome and the support that Bill extended to me from my first weeks on the job. I always appreciated his wit and his wisdom, and I am truly saddened that he is gone so soon. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Kind, oh-so-smart and a twinkle in his eyes. Dr. Bill, you will truly be missed on this planet. It was professors like you that inspired me to love sociology.

I was truly shocked to hear of Bill's passing. I extend my deepest sympathies to all of his family. His easy manner, and kind smile were always a welcomed sight whenever he came to the library and I was always glad to try to get whatever he needed through ILL.

Tim, Sheila, and family,

I am so sorry to hear about your Dad's passing. I can tell by the posts on this site that he had a profound impact on many lives. I hope you can take some comfort in these memories.

Much love to all of you, Laura

Dr, Flanagan helped me decide to study in Galway my junior year at Coe. I will always remember our Ireland chats.

One of my fondest memories of Bill was back when I was working in the Dean's Office and putting in long hours because Doris was out on medical leave. One night about 10 pm after I had sent out some emails from the office, Bill replied back "what in the world are you doing there this time of night?" I told him I was working...what was he doing there? After that we would joke about how late we worked sometimes and that we needed to get a life. He was such a nice guy and will be missed.

How sad. I was a sociology major and worked closely with Dr Flanagan while at Coe (c/o 96). I'll never forget the time a number of seniors went to his house in Iowa City to watch a movie, I think it was about the Black Panthers. Of course we ate pizza and drank beer and conversed about life. I can say without a doubt that I would not be where I am in life were it not for Bill's influence.

I'm deeply saddened by the news of Dr. Flanagan's passing. He was one of my first academic mentors and inspired my journey in a significant way. I am sociologist and a life-long learner because of Dr. Flanagan's and Dr. Fisher's guidance at Coe College, both of whom are acknowledged in my doctoral dissertation. As a current sociology instructor I regularly refer to my own training under my advisor, Bill Flanagan. I still use Peter Berger's Invitation to Sociology to begin my introductory courses and I end the lecture by standing on the desk (just like Bill did in my Intro class) and "invite" students to a special kind of passion required to be a sociologist. Another key learning activity that I credit Bill for was showing a short documentary "These Hands" - which using no words or subtitles, highlights the gendered and class-based struggle of third-world residents experienced at the giant hands of globalization and the industrial-complex.

The ebb and flow of the universe never ceases to amaze me. My mom just recently pulled out all of my essay tests and papers from my Sociology classes with you and I was completely thrilled to have them back in my possession. Found myself chuckling that my term paper was on the Acid Tests. You always encouraged me to write about what I was interested in!! My favorite book you introduced was the McDonalization of Society and I really enjoyed the essay type tests that you administered. It was fresh, innovative, and allowed us to be ourselves as we dissected what you had taught us.

Prof Flanagan,

You were one of the few professors to truly leave an indellible mark. You were a quality educator, a mentor, genuinely caring person and a jokester. The encouragement you provided this young woman from a small town meant more than any monetary wealth and you will be greatly missed by all.

Dear Bill:

I am saddened to hear the news of Dr. Flanagan's passing. I feel lucky to have been able to learn from him in several Sociology classes at Coe. He motivated students to push their limits in the classroom and beyond. I respected his vast knowledge, gentle nature and warm heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.

It is not often that you meet someone that changes your life. Professor Flanagan had that type of impact on me. He was my Advisor at Coe College and helped guide me through a scary time in my life. I was not sure where I was headed, or what my passions were. Professor Flanagan opened my eyes to the world of Sociology, encouraged me, saw potential in me, and pushed me to excel. Because of his influence, I developed a true passion for education and a drive for a successful career. He had a subtle humor, and warm heart. His guidance and faith in me gave me motivation and excitement to be something more. Thank you, "Flanagan" for being part of my life!

P.S. -- I sold back most of my books after college, but I kept yours! I also still have my lengthy papers and all of your comments. I look at them and smile.

Bill was a most welcoming person when I started working as the Hickok Hall/Dows Fine Arts Secretary. Whenever I worked on a project with Bill, he was always very easy going and understanding. His passing has left a void in this world. My condolences to his family. HE was one of the best!

Bill I first met you in intro to sociology class, I never thought one class could have such a pro-founding impact on my life and college studies. Your relaxing demeanor and uncanny ability to challenge students while making it fun is would brought me to studying sociology in the first place. It was a real honor to study under you and even more-so to call you a friend. While it is sad to see you go i will cherish the memories of you forever.

I first met Bill when I interviewed for my position at Coe College; in order for me to recognize him at the airport, he described himself as looking like, "a combination of Karl Marx and Santa Claus". Even now, in the depth of sadness over his loss, remembering this self-description never fails to make me smile. Bill had that effect - his considerable wisdom was always coupled with kindness, warmth, and wit. Whether teaching a class, working on research, or sharing a pint in the pub, Bill always had a twinkle in his eye. Words cannot express how much we will miss Bill - a gentleman, scholar, and true friend. Wey

It's hard to imagine a world with out Bill and I feel so blessed to have known him. As a young and insecure student of sociology, Bill's door was always open and from him I learned to understand the larger world around me. My success as a scholar would not have been as meaningful without Bill's guidance. He was a teacher, mentor, and a friend. He lived a great and admirable life. Much love and peace to his family and friends. Tonight I drink a pint of Guinness in Flanagan's honor.

Bill, everyone has someone in their lives that has impacted them in such a way as to change their life forever. I will never forget the lasting impact you made on me. You taught me to look at the world through a different lens and you were never afraid to challenge me on my thinking. The way I look at the world on a daily basis is impacted by what you taught me in the classroom and from our friendship. You were a better mentor to me than you would ever give yourself credit for.

Bill, you were such a special guy. I remember spending a lot of New Years Eves at your house and having some wonderful conversation with you and Joan and Sheila while our boys played with their StarWars toys. I made a memory of you guys when I was peeking out an opening from Blarney Castle in Ireland and I was looking over at the little town of Blarney. I knew you guys lived there when you were young and thought about how wonderful it must have been. I'm going to keep that memory and picture you just flying around Ireland (without a plane) and picturing you with that same cute smile you have in this picture. Love you forever. Your friend Cathy.