Dennis Flannigan
{{Short description|American politician (1939–2024)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Dennis Flannigan
| birth_place = Tacoma, Washington
| education = University of Puget Sound
| office = Member of the
Washington House of Representatives
for the 27th district
| termstart = January 13, 2003
| termend = January 10, 2011
| predecessor = Ruth Fisher
| successor = Laurie Jinkins
| party = Democratic
| children = 2
| birth_date = October 3, 1939
| office1 = Member of the Pierce County Council
| termstart1 = 1988
| termend1 = 1998
| death_date = July 10, 2024 (aged 84)
}}
Dennis P. Flannigan (October 3, 1939 – July 10, 2024) was an American politician, civil rights activist, and businessman who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives for the 27th district from 2003 to 2011.
Early life and education
Flannigan was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. Flannigan studied American literature at University of Puget Sound, but left in 1964 to participate in the Freedom Summer Project, a volunteer project to register as many African-American voters as possible in Mississippi.[https://www.pugetsound.edu/news-and-events/campus-news/details/999/ Dennis Flannigan '61 and Ruth Purtilo to Receive Honorary Degrees]{{Cite web|date=|title=Dennis Flannigan|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Dennis_Flannigan|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417062608/http://ballotpedia.org/Dennis_Flannigan |archive-date=2014-04-17 |access-date=2020-08-21|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}} After returning from Mississippi, Flannigan briefly resumed his studies at the University of Puget Sound, where he met his wife. Flannigan was later kicked out of the university.{{Cite web|date=2019-04-16|title=Dennis Flannigan, Retired Pierce County Council Member & WA State Rep, Part 1, April 16, 2019|url=https://skagitdemocrats.org/2019/04/16/dennis-flannigan-retired-pierce-county-council-member-wa-state-rep-part-1-april-16-2019/|access-date=2020-08-21|website=Skagit County Democrats|language=en-US}}
In 2012, the University of Puget Sound conferred Flannigan with an honorary Master of Laws for his service in the Washington State Legislature.{{Cite web|title=Honorary Degree: What Is It Good For?|url=https://www3.kuow.org/northwestnews.php?storyID=152460040|access-date=2020-08-21|website=www3.kuow.org|language=en}}
Career
Flannigan operated several non-profit organizations in Tacoma, Washington, including a housing service for low-income residents of Hilltop, Tacoma.{{Cite web|title=Dennis Flannigan, (D-Tacoma)|url=https://www.washingtonvotes.org/Legislator.aspx?ID=1529|access-date=2020-08-21|website=www.washingtonvotes.org|language=en}} He was later offered a role in the administration of Governor Daniel J. Evans and briefly worked as an instructor at Western Washington University.
Flannigan also worked as an independent copywriter, where he was hired to create advertising material for Pierce Transit.
In 1988, he was elected to the Pierce County Council. In 2002, he was elected to the Washington House of Representatives. During his tenure in the House, Flannigan drafted legislation to restore the Murray Morgan Bridge, in addition to a bill that would grant disability benefits to individuals with brain injuries.{{Cite web|title=Murray Morgan Bridge's Endangered Legacy {{!}} Tacoma Daily Index|url=https://www.tacomadailyindex.com/blog/murray-morgan-bridges-endangered-legacy/1230053/?amp|access-date=2020-08-21|website=www.tacomadailyindex.com}} Flannigan retired from the House in 2010, and was succeeded by Laurie Jinkins.{{Cite web|title=PRX|url=https://beta.prx.org/stories/273548|access-date=2020-08-21|website=beta.prx.org}}
Personal life
Flannigan and his first wife, Ilse (deceased), had two children. He married his wife Jayasri in 2014.
Flannigan died on July 10th, 2024, at the age of 84.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Dennis Flannigan, influential Pierce County Lawmaker, dies |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article289969584.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713015652/https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article289969584.html |archive-date=2024-07-13 |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Tacoma News Tribune}} He is survived by his two children, four grandchildren, and three stepchildren.
References
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Category:Politicians from Tacoma, Washington
Category:Democratic Party members of the Washington House of Representatives
Category:University of Puget Sound alumni
Category:21st-century members of the Washington State Legislature