Martha (May) Flaherty

Martha (May) Flaherty former airline stewardess, secretary, Product Manager for McCormick & Company, Inc., and beloved wife of the late Warde Robert Flaherty, passed away at the age of 87 on Wednesday, February 14, 2018. Martha was born in Ost, Kansas, on December 16, 1930, to the late Michael and Wilhelmine (Thimmesch) May, and was the 10th child of 13 children. She is survived by: sister, Mary Ann Talley of Dallas, TX, and 39 nieces and nephews. Martha lived by the words that her mother wrote in her autograph book as a child: "Let no good by thee be marred, Let no duty seem too hard, In all things bravely do your best, Then to God well leave the rest." Martha spent most of her adult life, from 1951-1999, in California. In 1966, she retired from Gilroy Foods/McCormick & Company and returned to Kansas in 1999. Martha was very active in volunteer work in her parish of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; her alma mater, St. Joseph Ost Catholic School; the Center of Hope and several local nursing homes. The Rosary will be recited at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., both Monday, February 19, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. Memorials established with St. Joseph Ost Catholic School Endowment Fund, 13015 E. Maple Grove Road, Mt. Hope, KS 67108 and Center of Hope, 400 N. Emporia, Wichita, KS 67202. Downing & Lahey Mortuary West.