Boston Red Sox, Madeira community honor Principal Chris Flanagan

Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read

Madeira teachers, staff, students and families lined the streets around Madeira Elementary School Monday morning with posters and prayers to honor their principal, Chris Flanagan, who died unexpectedly last week. All district schools were closed Monday, and a funeral mass was held for Flanagan at Good Shepherd Church in Montgomery.

Flanagan's favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, honored him, too, at Fenway Park last week.

Opinion: Madeira principal Chris Flanagan was an educator like no other

"The Red Sox remember life long fan, Principal Chris Flanagan," the Jumbotron read on Wednesday.

Flanagan grew up in Vermont as the oldest of five children, according to his obituary from Thomas-Justin Memorial. He moved to Cincinnati in the late 1990s, married his wife Danielle and had four children: Jack, Maggie, Emma and Molly.

The Boston Red Sox honored Chris Flanagan at Fenway Park after he died unexpectedly last week.
The Boston Red Sox honored Chris Flanagan at Fenway Park after he died unexpectedly last week.

For 25 years Flanagan served local students at Finneytown Local School District, Forest Hills Local School District and Madeira City Schools.

"There's an old adage that goes, 'never meet your heroes.' But growing up, I shared a bedroom for many years with one of mine," his younger brother Patrick Flanagan said during Monday's service. "I always felt that I belonged − in the truest, deepest sense of the word − when I was with Chris. He elevated your spirit when you were with him."

Looking out among the hundreds of mourners Monday, Patrick Flanagan said he wished his brother was there to "feel all of this."

Madeira Elementary School principal Chris Flanagan and student AJ Harding on "Dress Like the Principal Day" in 2022. Flanagan died unexpectedly on April 24.
Madeira Elementary School principal Chris Flanagan and student AJ Harding on "Dress Like the Principal Day" in 2022. Flanagan died unexpectedly on April 24.

"To see just how many lives he impacted," he said. "To know, truly know, how much he meant to so, so many."

Madeira Superintendent Kenji Matsudo also spoke at Monday's mass, careful to note he was Flanagan's boss as well as his friend.

Matsudo said his inbox and phone were flooded with support for Flanagan, "the world's best educator and principal who checked all the boxes," eight years ago when the elementary principal spot opened up. Flanagan was working in the Forest Hills Local School District at the time, but he lived in Madeira where his kids went to school.

Teachers, staff, students and families gathered at Madeira Elementary for a "Route of Remembrance" for their beloved principal, Chris Flanagan, 50, who died April 24.
Teachers, staff, students and families gathered at Madeira Elementary for a "Route of Remembrance" for their beloved principal, Chris Flanagan, 50, who died April 24.

Flanagan did check all the boxes and more, Matsudo said. And during his interview for Madeira Elementary principal, Flanagan told Matsudo that it was his dream job and mimed pushing all of his poker chips to the center of the table: He was "all in."

"Chris Flanagan was an 'all in' person. Chris was all in with his family. Chris was all in as a principal. And Chris was all in as my friend, as he was to so many of you," Matsudo said.

Community members continue to share tributes to Flanagan on a Facebook memorial page. More than 500 members had joined the page as of Monday morning. The family is also accepting donations to the Chris Flanagan Memorial Scholarship at Madeira High School (checks made payable to the Madeira Schools Foundation at 7465 Loannes Drive in Cincinnati) or the Flanagan Scholarship at St. Michael’s College (One Winooski Park, Colchester, VT 05439).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Madeira principal Chris Flanagan honored at Monday mass