Patrick Flynn (Canadian politician)

Patrick Joseph (Joe) Flynn (September 8, 1921 – June 9, 1996) was an Irish-born Canadian politician. He served as a Liberal Member of Parliament representing Kitchener, Ontario from 1974 until 1979. His younger brother Dennis Flynn (birth name was Denis Christopher O'Flynn) was also active in Canadian politics serving as the Mayor of Etobicoke, Ontario and Chair of Metropolitan Toronto.

Flynn was born Patrick Joseph "Joe" O'Flynn in Rathcormac, County Cork, Ireland on September 8, 1921. He and Denis, along with their parents, John Joseph O'Flynn and Molly O'Flynn (née Mary Cahill) immigrated to Canada in 1925 on board the CP Ship Melita. Evidently the family dropped the "O'", and became known simply as Flynn.

First arriving in Quebec City, they travelled by train to Toronto where they settled. Joe attended St. Helen's Catholic School and Bloor Street Collegiate in Toronto. In 1938 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy. He served as a Chief Petty Officer on the HMCS Halifax (K237) during the World War II.

Joe and Dennis had three siblings, all born in Toronto:

On March 18, 1944 he married Norma Jean (Betty) Brown, at St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church in Toronto. Upon his discharge from the RCN in 1945, Mr. Flynn accepted a position within the radiology department of St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto. In 1948 he accepted a new position at K-W Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario. Mr. Flynn left the hospital to pursue a career in sales and successfully represented companies such as Merrel, Alberta Distillers and Hiram Walker. In the late 1960s, Mr. Flynn was elected to the Kitchener Separate School Board and later went on to become Chair of the Waterloo County Catholic School Board.

Joe and Betty Flynn had nine children, three of which were born in Toronto (Pat, Michael & Maureen) and the remainder were born in Kitchener (K.C., Larry, Mary Geraldine, Terry, Cathy & Sean). Tragically two of their children died at very young ages (Mary Geraldine 1958-1958 and Cathaleen Mavourneen 1963-1969). They resided in the "North Ward" area of Kitchener from 1948-1979. During his early days in Kitchener, Joe was an active member of the local Catholic community in Kitchener and was instrumental in the founding and building of St. Teresa Catholic Church.

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