Tharon Flaherty

Tharon Marie German Flaherty, daughter of Everett Oscar “Smokey” German and Pauline Helen Sevier German, was born December 25, 1934, in Hopeville, Iowa and died Saturday, December 9th, 2023, at Southern Hills Specialty Care in Osceola, Iowa.

Tharon attended country school in Hopeville, Iowa until she started her freshman year at Murray High School. Being involved with the school newspaper and cheerleading, she graduated as class president in 1952. Also in that class was Max Flaherty- whom she married March 26, 1953, in Des Moines, Iowa. They celebrated 70 years of marriage this past March. According to the 1952 yearbook class prophecy, she would raise cattle outside of Murray with Max Flaherty. And that is just what they did. Two sons blessed this union.

Tharon was always working- even into her 80s. She worked at the Clarke County Clinic for many years along with being a teller at Clarke County State Bank.  A lifelong learner, Tharon took classes at SWCC in her 50′s. She worked at both Clarke Community Schools and Murray Community Schools in many capacities. Tharon was Granny to a whole generation of students at Murray School. From working in the office as a substitute, to attending all types of activities, to judging FCCLA events, to helping elementary students read, or making dozens of homemade doughnuts for fundraisers, Tharon supported her school and community any way she could.

Tharon and Max enjoyed traveling by motorcycle and by camper in later years. Memorable trips include when she and Max motorcycled to Alaska- but she kept enough cash in her back pocket for a plane ticket home. Tharon went to France in 2003 with a large group from Murray and created many memories while there. She enjoyed “girl’s trips” with her mother and aunts, Ruth Graham and Irene Abell and then later she started taking trips with Vicki, Marie and Emily.

Tharon embraced life and lived in the moment- from slipping off her Keds to wade in a creek in the Smokey Mountains, to pulling over on the side of the road to follow a brown historical site sign, to white water rafting at the age of 75 while visiting Yellowstone.

Tharon enjoyed her bridge club, book club, tending to her gorgeous flower beds, and going to the movies. Tharon was a 50-year member of Beta Sigma Phi, belonging first to the Osceola chapter and then transferring to the Murray chapter. She organized the Murray Lion’s Jamboree bake sale for many years.

She was a long-time member of the Hopeville Methodist Church and Murray Methodist Church until 2017 when she was baptized and started attending the Osceola Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, brothers- in- law, Darrell and Gary Flaherty, many aunts and uncles including her beloved Aunt Elnora Sevier.

She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Max Flaherty of Murray. Sons; Russ Flaherty, wife Vicki of Murray and Ron Flaherty, wife Cindy of New Virginia. The lights of her life, her grandchildren; Jerod Flaherty, wife Jess of Osceola, Marie Henry, husband Paul of Osceola, Emily Nadler, husband Joe of Earlham, and Jason Flaherty of Des Moines. Followed by the true diamonds in her crown, great-grandchildren: Cole Flaherty, Madilynn Henry, Grant Flaherty, Isla Flaherty, Louella Marie Flaherty, and Eleanor Nadler. Tharon is also survived by sister-in-law, June Flaherty of Osceola, special friends and neighbors: Wayne and Sally Phillips, Sharon Doonan, Dan Phillips, numerous nephews and their families, and a host of friends.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Dec. 12 at Kale Funeral Home in Osceola with family greeting friends from 6:00 to 8:00. Funeral services will be at Kale Funeral Home in Osceola, Wednesday Dec. 13, 2023 at 1:00 pm with Wayne Brewer officiating. Interment will follow in the Murray Cemetery

A live stream of the services will be available at www.kalefuneralhome.com on Tharon’s tribute page, beginning at 1:00 Wednesday. Memorial contributions may be directed to her family to benefit the Murray Community at a later date.