Yerington Mondays: Father Flahive
Many people may not remember Father Flyhive because he died in 1956 or 1957. But those of us that do, will remember a fun filled, generous and often eccentric man. He was from Ireland and played the fiddle. He played bridge and played often. He loved visiting his parishioners. Yerington. in the 1950’s, was about 80% Italian or Portuguese and very Catholic. There was the Methodist, Baptists, Nazarene churches, but they were small then.
He would visit our house often and sometimes would take us for rides in the country. We were amazed at how he could drive with his hands off the wheel (he steered with his knees), scarring and delighting us all at once. He entertained us with his fiddle playing. The boys particularly like “Pop Goes the Weasel”. He often played his fiddle at bridge games. His favorite greeting was “Is everybody happy?”
In the picture with the Barnett kids, we had taken a ride to Mason. I believe that is the Mason bridge behind us.
I was aged 8 or 9 when Father Flahive died, so many of my memories are blurry. Would love to hear your memories.
Holy Family Catholic Church - St John the Baptist Mission
Yerington, NV Founded:1901
Father Flahive with the Barnett children (David, Chere, Dan, Lexie Lee Baker)
Posted Dec 29, 2014
Some Comments
- Marsa Morse Though I spelt it differently, I created a character in one of my screenplays named Flahive. :0 Yes, he left an impression on all of us.
- Sharon Holley He could really sing Irish songs as well. Great man.
- Marsa Morse I would have loved to be there for that. He was my mother's priest in Elko when she was growing up, then he came to Yerington and was there when I was a girl. He was pretty special.
- Mary Burns Father Flahive (correct spelling on this ) died when I was in the 5th grade His was the very first funeral I attended, He was at our home every single Sunday about 5 pm (after his other many stops) He taught me magic tricks, and how to hit a golf ball, He arrived for 'highball time' and dinner and His "Irish Eyes are Smiling' was beautiful as was his "Danny BOy'
- Chere Brown Yes, I remember him doing magic tricks and singing those Irish songs. He was my brother Dan's hero. When I told him Father Flahive had died, he hauled off and slugged me and called me a liar, he was so upset. He was really good to our family.
- Sharon Holley I loved his singing.
- Peggy Freitas Purintun I also have great memories of Father Flahive. My whole family cherished him, my mother maybe more than the rest of us. She worried many an evening that he didn't have an invite to dinner anywhere and would send me to see if he was invited somewhere or to invite him home with me. My mother was from Salt Lake City and was raised a Mormon, but was thinking of becoming a Catholic because of her admiration of Father Flahive, But when he passed away, his brother the Monsignor, didn't think it was proper for a non-Catholic like my mother to help my father conduct the service. My mother was heartbroken because she dearly loved Father Flahive. That was the last we ever heard of her becoming Catholic, and I didn't blame her one bit
- Chere Brown My mother wasn't Catholic either, but after becoming friends with Father Flahive, she had all of us baptized and sent us to Catholicism. Dan even became an altar boy. She, however, never converted. She was with him when he passed and was brokenhearted.
- Timothy McGowan Chere Brown In your photo of the Catholic church, wasn't that house just to the South the one the Priest lived in? I also remember a building straight across the street from the church that I seem to remember being used for Catechism classes. That one is gone now, along with the Yerington Hotel, which I think was turned into a parking lot for the church.
- Chere Brown Yes, to all of the above, Tim. I think the church also built an addition to the back of the church as a recreation hall. When did they take the Yerington Hotel down?
- Mary Burns Hotel went down about 5 yrs ago at the most.. and the old house across from the church , 'parish hall' , was used for catechism, but also girl scouts, , brownies, cub scouts, etc... the rectory is still there, its the 2 story building right beside the church.. priest did live there. also had confirmation classes there, one evening, Peggy, and Karen W and RIcky, and Michelle, and Delbert, and CHez, and I (thats all I can recall right now) were in class and started counting the mice scurrying around the room YIKES EEEEEKKkk
Sharon Hall Provost-Brown He used to come to our house, drink whiskey and speak Gaelic with my grandfather Mamie. They would keep us entertained around the dining room table with the stories that no one else could understand. I do remember Howard Freitas attending some of those meetings.
