Christine L Flanary

Christine ("Chris") Little Flanary, the wife of James R. Flanary, who preceded her in death, passed away on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at the University of Tennessee Hospital. Chris at age 90 fought a valiant battle to recover from surgery to repair two broken legs following a fall in her home. With the same determination demonstrated through all the grand years of her life, Chris struggled with every ounce of her strength to survive but was unable to overcome the trauma of her injuries. Chris Little was born in 1920 in Elizabethton, Tennessee, the daughter of the late H. Clay and Florence Miller Little. She was the oldest of five children of whom, only her sister, Beryl Laws (and Beryl's husband John and Chris' sister in law, Barbara Little) predeceased her. Mr. Little, a highly respected member of the local community, was both a farmer and an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Elizabethton was for Chris, as she grew up during the great depression, the best of all worlds. She had a sound roof over her head, good food on her table, a nurturing family around her and a place of pastoral beauty on her family's farm. After completing high school in Elizabethton, Chris went to Milligan College near Johnson City. After college Chris continued to live in Elizabethton working as a second grade teacher in the local elementary school for a short time. It was here that Chris met her husband to be who at the time was enrolled in East Tennessee State where he completed his first year of college following which he enrolled at the University of Chicago prior to enlisting for the Second World War as an officer in the United States Army Air Corp. Toward the end of the war in 1945, Chris Little and Jimmy Flanary were married in Orlando, Florida while Lieutenant Flanary was winding up his military duty. The couple returned to Knoxville where Jimmy completed his college education at the University of Tennessee graduating with advanced degrees in chemistry. In 1947, Chris and Jimmy moved to the National Nuclear Research Facility at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Mr. Flanary was employed by the U.S. Government as a nuclear chemist working in the gaseous diffusion labs developing techniques for producing and stockpiling nuclear fuels including plutonium and various isotopes of uranium. In 1947 Chris and Jimmy had their first child, Cynthia (now Mrs. Ronald W. Rogers of Atlanta, Georgia). Chris and family continued to live at Oak Ridge through the year 1957 during which time they had two sons, Russ in 1951 and Terry in 1953, both of whom currently reside in Knoxville. Because the Oak Ridge community was a close-knit group of high level dedicated scientists working for the defense of their country the Flanarys' life there was unique and rewarding. In 1957 Chris and Jimmy left Oak Ridge, although Jimmy continued to be employed in its labs, and moved back to Knoxville and into the residence where Chris lived until the time of her death. In their new home Chris continued to care for her family as a dutiful wife, mother and skilled homemaker up until the time of Jimmy's death in 1971. It was at this time that Chris decided to return to Oak Ridge to work in the laboratories where her husband had served for many years, his life being cut short due to his work as a pioneer in this country's early nuclear research. Chris went back to school and obtained a secretarial degree after which she was employed at Oak Ridge rising quickly to the position of Senior Editor. It was Chris' job to read and edit the scientific papers and treatises written by the lab's researchers just like the ones authored by James Flanary during his tenure at Oak Ridge. Thus was Chris able to continue the work of her husband, provide for her family and contribute to the welfare of her country all at the same time. Chris worked at Oak Ridge for around twenty years from 1973 retiring around 1993 to her home on Chesterfield Drive in Knoxville. From here Chris lived and traveled to various places in the country to visit her children, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. She entertained at least five generations of her immediate and extended family in this home. Chris was active in the Church Street Methodist Murphy Builders Sunday School class, the Akima Club of Knoxville, the West Hills Garden Club and a number of other Knoxville social and charitable organizations. Chris and Jimmy were very active in the early years of West Hills Elementary School. Chris was a consummate cooks and flower arranger working in her own garden tirelessly to produce arrangements for her home and for her church. Chris Flanary was truly a great woman. She will be missed by all. Chris is survived by her sons Russ and Terry Flanary of Knoxville; daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Ronald Rogers of Atlanta, Georgia; grandchildren, Dr. Josh DiCarlo and wife Molly of Denver, Colo, Dr. Brad Dicarlo and wife Diane of Charlottesville, VA, Graham Flanary, and Sarah Boertje and husband Jason of Knoxville; great grandchildren, Ellie and Raegan Boertje of Knoxville, John Malcolm and Suzanna Dicarlo of Denver, Colo, Zack and Isabella DiCarlo of Charlottesville, VA; brother and sister in law, Harold "Buddy" Little and wife Trilla; brother, Earl Little; sister and brother in law, Evelyn and Randall Baldwin all of Elizabethton. A funeral service for Chris Flanary will be conducted at Highland Memorial Cemetery in Knoxville with the Reverends Bill Balch and Andy Ferguson officiating. The family will receive friends Saturday, from 11:00 – 12:00 at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel followed by a funeral procession to Highland Memorial Cemetery for a 12:30 pm graveside service.

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Christine L Flanary

November 5, 1920 - August 28, 2011