Obituary of John Michael Flynn

John Michael Flynn, 70 of Davie passed away Thursday, July 9, 2020 in Plantation, Florida. Born May 26, 1950. In Repose Monday July 13, 2020 from 10 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. with a 11 A.M. Funeral Service, cremation to follow. Arrangements by Joseph A. Scarano Pines Memorial Chapel, 9000 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33024 954-438-8222.John Michael Flynn was born in New York City on May 26,1950. His father, John James Flynn, grew up on the lower east side of Manhattan and married Clara Rose Peragine,an Italian immigrant from Grummo de Appula, de Provincia de Bari. John and Clara met in Manhattan as she stepped onto the stoop of her parents home on west 57th Street. John James approached Clara that day and asked if she would accompany him to the local dance hall. She was afraid of his approach and didn’t understand the language he spoke. She would later remember those shinning blue eyes. He would years late tell, “It was love at first sight.”This story repeated itself in the years to come through John and Clara’s first born son, John Michael Flynn and his wife Sharon Anne Riess.When John Michael met Sharon Anne at Pat Cartwright’s party in Wheatley Heights, LI, NY, they were 15 years old. In a less traditional encounter, history repeated itself. Sharon tells, ”John was snapping a rubber band at my ass covered by red spandex pants.” Sharon wrote him off as an immature boy. In the months to come John proved himself worthy of the man and husband he became to be. He engaged himself in facilitating the planning of her 16th birthday party and more importantly was a tremendous support to her family when her father was in a fatal car accident. John described the initial encounter with Sharon that night at Pat Cartwright’s party as the night he fell in love at first sight and met the love of his life. Much love and adventure would come to pass between these two teenagers.John Michael Flynn on July 9, 2020 at 12:25 pm said goodbye to his beloved wife Sharon Reiss Flynn, his son John Michael Flynn Jr. and his loved grandson, Parker Flynn.John also said a heartfelt farewell to his brothers and sisters; Kathleen Wolter, Kevin Flynn, Patrick Flynn, William Flynn, Rose Flynn and James Flynn as he joined his mother Clara Rose and his father John James.John and Sharon shared 54 years of love and adventure including 49 years of marriage. Their wedding day in 1971 was the beginning of a life of surprise, joy and adventure. They had only just begun to live a life of love.John would take Sharon on the ride of her life and she would enjoy every second. They left New York in the summer of 1978 and moved to Miami Beach, Florida. John immediately took a job at the Chamber Lounge owned by his father’s brother, Jimmy Flynn. John fell in love with his Uncle Jimmy and the hospitality business. Jimmy and John soon became enthusiastic partners and opened up Flynn’s Cabaret at the Sea Isle Hotel on Collins Avenue. Together they opened a four block radius of successful bars. They were offered a bar and restaurant contract at an upscale hotel called The Seville. John and Jimmy partnered with (John’s father/Jimmy’s brother) John James Flynn. The dynamic family business opened Disco City, Cowboys, Rendezvous Lounge and The Pool Bar. They catered parties, weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.When they were offered the opportunity to do the cast party for the Peter Pan show at the Jackie Gleason Center starring Sandy Duncan, John Michael was in his glory! They catered many shows after that but Sandy Duncan’s cast for Peter Pan was by far John Micheal’s favorite.The Flynn partners also started a Friday reggae night in one of their Miami Beach locations. After two years, just as reggae night was taking off, the contract at The Seville expired and the industry was taking a different direction. But, the Flynn’s success had alerted some promotors which including DJ Clint O’Neil. John’s love for Reggae gave him the insight and a dream to do something no one had ever done in Miami before. By virtue of John Michael’s youthful enthusiasm and confidence, the Flynn trio would join partners with Clint O’Neil. With that type of promotion,The Miami Reggae Festival at Marine Stadium on Key Biscayne Amphitheater would happen. John Micheal organized a three day festival bringing in top name reggae groups such as Yellow Man, Tinga Steward, Toots and the Maytags and the headliner Gregory Issac Jeremiah Jackson.John took an independent direction after the festival. Months later he and his wife Sharon found a huge deserted bar on 79th St in Surfside, Miami Beach. As the Punk Rock movement was a creative force in the country and John realized the movement, he provided the punk artists a venue to perform. It was the first punk rock club locally and globally and it took off big time! People were coming from all over the community and the world. Bands like “Girls School” from the United Kingdom showed up to perform. Punk was taking over the live music scene and Miami Beach was at the epicenter. Flynn’s II, a venue for poetry, slam dancing and live music was know internationally. It was an exciting time in music history and John was a major facilitator in the expression of that movement.John was becoming reflective of his life and his contribution to community. He decided to dedicate the rest of his life to service. As a teenager he had worked as an aide at a nursing home and experienced the joy and love of helping others. Not having had any education in that field, at 40 years old he decided to go back to school and study to be a paramedic. Upon graduation he went to work at Jackson Memorial Hospital and was a key player in opening and later training doctors at the Ryder Trauma Center. Because of his commitment to expertise in this field and because of his experience, John developed a reputation that alerted the administration at Jackson. They requested his assistance in creating a program for the army to teach triage and trauma. John helped design a backpack for head trauma in the field and was assigned to teaching the army cadets how to use it.Though John had to retired in 2005, he never retired from service to community. Instead he volunteered at Gloria Day Lutheran Church as a choir member. He found his personal spiritual awaking at Via de Cristo. At that retreat, John made peace with the Lord and dedicated his life to expressing that. John loved being with his brothers and sisters of faith and participating in all celebrations.Sharon wants to share her heart by saying this about her husband and her life with John Michael Flynn.“I had the best husband in the world. We spent 54 years together. We were just two kids who fell in love in the 60s. We had 10 free years together before our son, John Michael Flynn, Jr., was born. Our adventures will live in my heart forever. We laughed, cried and fought. Sometimes making up was the best part. We traveled, rested and danced together. John was compassionate, sexy, beautiful and an exciting man; strong, brave, loving, and kind.John loved his family, music, food and the ocean. What he loved most was singing out loud, dancing with me, sharing a meal with family and friends and taking a ride on the ocean. John was a wonderful husband and provider to his family. He was a power of example to his son and a loving grandfather to his grandchild. Parker knew his poppy was a hero. He is remembered by all for his strength. John is with God and he is smiling. When you hear the song “Smile” please think of John.”