Obituary for Alva Lee Flynn
Greer Funeral Home
235 South Pennsylvania
Mangum, Oklahoma 73554
(580) 782-3323
fax (580) 782-3652
FLYNN
A pioneer of greyhound breeding in Southwest Oklahoma, Alva L. Flynn, age 95, of Blair, passed away Tuesday afternoon, November 17, 2008, at Jackson County Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Flynn was born on October 13, 1913, in Lancaster, South Carolina, to Clyde Lesley and Verdie May (Roberts) Flynn. Moving to Jackson County in 1928, near the Ozark Community, he began working on the family farm. After graduating from Martha in 1936, he moved to Greer County and married Doris Marie Ross on July 18, 1936. They spent forty wonderful years together before her death on October 21, 1976. Alva later married Vera Conger in April of 1977, and she preceded him in death in December 1994.
Alva"s uncle, T.S. Riddle, brought the first Greyhounds into Southwestern Oklahoma and provided Alva with his first Greyhounds around 1937. During the Depression they were used to run jackrabbits and coyotes that were a menace to farmers. From there, Alva moved into match-racing and then into raising purebred, registered Greyhounds. Through the years, Alva had many successful dogs, one of which was Lady Lin. Today, about 80 percent of America"s Greyhound stock can be tracked back to Lady Lin. In the early 1980s, a tornado struck the Blair area and inflicted huge damage on his farm operation. Luckily, the kennel crates burst open during the storm, so that most of the dogs escaped unharmed. As a member of the National Greyhound Association for many years, Alva was honored for his long-time involvement with racing canines, by being inducted into the Greyhound Pioneer Hall of Fame. As Alva surpassed 90 years old, he continued to raise and train pups on his farm near Blair.
Preceded in death by his parents, two wives and one brother, Leon Flynn, he is survived by two daughters, Elva Pruitt and husband Harold of Hobart and Glenda Atkinson and husband Penny of Mangum; one brother, Ray Flynn and wife Lazelle of Deer Park, Texas; one sister, Mary Campbell of Montgomery, Texas; four grandchildren, Wendell Pruitt of Hobart, Craig Pruitt and wife Tara of Hinton, Oklahoma, Staci Hunt and husband Richard of Guthrie, Oklahoma, and Kristi Lee of Mangum; four great grandchildren, Bryce Pruitt, Cameryn Pruitt, Austin Brinkman and Kameron Lee and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Alva Flynn will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at the First Baptist Church of Blair with Rev. Randy Mitchell officiating. Interment will follow at the Blair Cemetery under direction of Greer Funeral Home of Mangum.
Online tributes may be made to the family at www.GreerFuneral.com
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235 South Pennsylvania
Mangum, Oklahoma 73554
(580) 782-3323
fax (580) 782-3652
FLYNN
A pioneer of greyhound breeding in Southwest Oklahoma, Alva L. Flynn, age 95, of Blair, passed away Tuesday afternoon, November 17, 2008, at Jackson County Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Flynn was born on October 13, 1913, in Lancaster, South Carolina, to Clyde Lesley and Verdie May (Roberts) Flynn. Moving to Jackson County in 1928, near the Ozark Community, he began working on the family farm. After graduating from Martha in 1936, he moved to Greer County and married Doris Marie Ross on July 18, 1936. They spent forty wonderful years together before her death on October 21, 1976. Alva later married Vera Conger in April of 1977, and she preceded him in death in December 1994.
Alva"s uncle, T.S. Riddle, brought the first Greyhounds into Southwestern Oklahoma and provided Alva with his first Greyhounds around 1937. During the Depression they were used to run jackrabbits and coyotes that were a menace to farmers. From there, Alva moved into match-racing and then into raising purebred, registered Greyhounds. Through the years, Alva had many successful dogs, one of which was Lady Lin. Today, about 80 percent of America"s Greyhound stock can be tracked back to Lady Lin. In the early 1980s, a tornado struck the Blair area and inflicted huge damage on his farm operation. Luckily, the kennel crates burst open during the storm, so that most of the dogs escaped unharmed. As a member of the National Greyhound Association for many years, Alva was honored for his long-time involvement with racing canines, by being inducted into the Greyhound Pioneer Hall of Fame. As Alva surpassed 90 years old, he continued to raise and train pups on his farm near Blair.
Preceded in death by his parents, two wives and one brother, Leon Flynn, he is survived by two daughters, Elva Pruitt and husband Harold of Hobart and Glenda Atkinson and husband Penny of Mangum; one brother, Ray Flynn and wife Lazelle of Deer Park, Texas; one sister, Mary Campbell of Montgomery, Texas; four grandchildren, Wendell Pruitt of Hobart, Craig Pruitt and wife Tara of Hinton, Oklahoma, Staci Hunt and husband Richard of Guthrie, Oklahoma, and Kristi Lee of Mangum; four great grandchildren, Bryce Pruitt, Cameryn Pruitt, Austin Brinkman and Kameron Lee and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Alva Flynn will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 19, 2008, at the First Baptist Church of Blair with Rev. Randy Mitchell officiating. Interment will follow at the Blair Cemetery under direction of Greer Funeral Home of Mangum.
Online tributes may be made to the family at www.GreerFuneral.com
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