Honorary Degree Befitting Legacy Mom

By Lisa Tedrick Prejean

When Pat Flanagan graduated from Mercersburg in 1984, it seemed appropriate that his mother, Esther Coyne Flanagan, be honored for the rite of passage. After all, Pat was Esther’s seventh son to graduate from the Academy. 

Don Hill, who was assistant head of school for external affairs at the time, remembered that then-Headmaster Walter Burgin Jr. ’53, P ’78 had a suggestion: What if Mercersburg gave Esther an honorary degree? Heaven knows she earned it while encouraging all those boys through the academic rigor of the school. 

Burgin recalled discussing the possibility, noting, “I didn’t remember that it was my idea, but somebody had to have that idea, because it was the right idea to have.”

So it was decided that Mercersburg would bestow this mother from Norwich, NY, with an honorary diploma at her youngest son’s graduation.

“It’s very cool that Mom is a fellow 1984 graduate, although it scared me when they stopped the ceremony as Walter Burgin was about to call my name,” related Pat ’84.

Esther, who was 96 when she passed away on December 2, 2024, came from and left a far-reaching legacy at Mercersburg. Her husband, Tom Flanagan, was a 1938 graduate of the Academy.

Family from both sides–the Coynes on Esther’s side and the Flanagans on Tom’s side–have been an integral part of the school for decades, dating back to Esther’s stepfather, Dr. George Manley, who was a member of the Class of 1913.

While Esther wasn’t a student here–because women were not admitted until 1969–her boys left their mark, and nine of her 17 grandchildren also attended Mercersburg. 

It’s unclear how a family from upstate New York initially found a boarding school in south central Pennsylvania, but Esther’s granddaughter Jenn Flanagan Bradley ’99 said then-Headmaster Dr. William Mann Irvine might have found Manley through sports. Before attending Mercersburg, Manley led the Norwich football team to an undefeated season, according to a newspaper account. He played football at Syracuse after graduating from Mercersburg.

“Back in that time, it was very common for Dr. Irvine to know or have some sort of connection with each student,” said Bradley, Mercersburg’s director of strategic initiatives.
“He was heavily involved in recruiting and
word-of-mouth marketing.”

Bradley fondly remembered her grandparents’ love for and dedication to
the school.

“My grandfather loved Mercersburg, and my grandmother, too,” Bradley said, noting that family members have consistently been involved in supporting and volunteering for the school.

Tom Flanagan ’38 was a member of the Board of Regents. Esther’s brother, Nick Coyne ’50, was the president of the Board of Regents. Her son Dave Flanagan ’81 is a current member of the Board of Regents.

The first time Tom took his older boys to visit Mercersburg, seeing the chapel spire prompted him to share that the happiest four years of his life were spent on campus, said Tim Flanagan ’69.

Indeed, if a career in medicine hadn’t worked out, their dad would have been content to return to Mercersburg to teach, said Pete Flanagan ’70. Dave also recalled that his dad admitted he would have been very happy to teach history at Mercersburg.

Esther most likely would have been fine with that decision.

“She always enjoyed visiting Mercersburg,” said Tom Flanagan ’68. “She became friends with many of the faculty and trustees. She was a generous supporter of the school, and she became friends with many of our friends.”

Dave added, “As noted by my brother Tom, her connection grew over many years. Our parents both loved Mercersburg and made many great friends through their long association with the school. After I was lucky enough to join the Board of Regents, Mom frequently asked about the school and told me how much they enjoyed returning to Mercersburg while our father was on the Board. She had many fond memories of the friendships they formed through the Board and over the course of 20 years while the seven of us were students.”

When asked what they would like to share with the Mercersburg community about their mother, the seven sons provided a collective response: “Throughout her long life, our mother maintained an admirable mix of grace, understated elegance, warmth, sparkling wit and humor, love, humility, generosity, and–frequently needed while raising seven sons–determination and toughness.” 
 

Philanthropy 

Tom and Esther Flanagan were members of Mercersburg’s McDowell Society, which honors those whose cumulative gifts to the school equal or exceed $1 million. Esther’s name can be seen throughout campus, from the ’38 observatory to the Burgin Center for the Arts, including Rutledge, and Nolde Gym (pool/Davenport Squash Center). Countless alumni have benefited from the endowment funds that support every aspect of school operations, from financial aid to teacher and program development:

» Esther C. and Thomas M. Flanagan ’38 Scholarship Fund

» Thomas M. Flanagan ’38 Fund for Faculty Professional Development

» Esther C. and Thomas M. Flanagan ’38 Fund for Program Support

» Lena Manley Flanagan Scholarship Fund

» Robert R. Black ’25 Chair

» George (1913) and Esther Manley Scholarship Fun