A memorial service will be held June 28 for Evelyn Burkett Flanagan.

Flanagan died June 16, 2012 of heart failure in Philadelphia. She was 80.

She was born March 8, 1932 in Rockford, Ill. to Walter Smith Sr. and Maude Burkett Smith. She was one of eight children.

Her civic responsibility shone early on while at Rockford’s West High School when she earned a spot at Illinois’ Girls State. She graduated from high school in 1950 and married Wilbur Flanagan on Dec. 1, 1951.

The couple and their family left Illinois, spent some time in Glen Burnie, Md., and eventually settled in Philadelphia in 1958.

During her many years of taking care of her home and family, Flanagan also taught at Wagner Middle School, worked at Sears in retail, volunteered at neighborhood schools and routinely worked at the election polls in the city’s East Germantown section. 

She was very artistic, loved doing sketches and talked frequently about enjoying sculpting.

Flanagan lost most of her sight in 2008 due to glaucoma and macular degeneration.

After suffering a bad fall last June, Flanagan was in several rehab centers and nursing homes. She last resided at Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) Hospice of Philadelphia in the city’s East Falls section.

She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her son Gregory, and sister Delphine preceded her in death.

She is survived by her three daughters Carol Flanagan and Yvonne (Herman) Sanford, both of Philadelphia; and Sharyn Flanagan, of McLean, Va.; four grandchildren: JaMar Flanagan, Kaitrill Flanagan, Nicole Sanford and Torie Flanagan; two great-grandchildren: Kaitrill Flanagan Jr. and Najila Void; siblings: Barbara Black, of Chicago; Jean Wright, of Lithonia, Ga.; Carolyn (Hugh) Lawrence, of Beloit, Wis.; Laura Rodgers, of Oak Park, Ill.; Walter Smith Jr., of Dalton, Ga.; and Sayida Hafiz, of Philadelphia; and other relatives and friends.

The memorial service will be held June 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, 230 W. Coulter St.