Former District 2 Texas State Representative Dan Flynn is being remembered by a number of local and state individuals who worked for him or with him over a number of years. Flynn, a resident of Van Zandt County, passed away peacefully Oct. 28.

Services for Flynn, 79, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, at Lakeside Baptist Church in Canton. Interment will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.

Flynn is being remembered as a layman, father, husband, and rancher. He was a well-known protector of life, an advocate for a strong border, low taxes, and a hero to many, according to his obituary notice released by Eubank Funeral Home in Canton.

His accomplishments included passing legislation that increased transparency in state government operation, strengthening border security, and modernizing the legislation under which the Texas Military Force operates.

He served Texas in the 36th Infantry :

Division during the Vietnam era, and as a Brigadier General in the Texas State Guard before retiring from active service.

Flynn was also a leader in obtaining funding for new buildings including a music hall and planetarium at Texas A&M-Commerce and getting the property for the VZC Veterans Memorial site in Canton.

He also was one of the original organizers of the VZC Council of Communities, the vision group that put together the annual VZC Days at the state capital in Austin. Additionally, Flynn was an active member of the Van Kiwanis Club and the Canton Lion’s Club.

Flynn was a lifelong member of the Church of the Nazarene, building several churches, and serving on the Dallas District Advisory Board for over 20 years.

He shared his musical talent as a music minister and traveled with his family across the country singing gospel music with the ‘Westernaires’ and ‘Joint Heirs’ recording numerous albums along the way.

The former state representative was also the Deputy Banking Commissioner of Texas and served as a leader in private banking and is known for many reforms that still exist today including the rewriting of the banking code of 1995.

“Cecilia and I are saddened to hear of the passing of Representative Dan Flynn,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott in a statement released by his office. “Representative Flynn was a man of exceptional character, who served his constituents faithfully and fought to uphold the fundamental freedoms that Texans value. From advocating for the right of public schools to display the Ten Commandments in the classroom to serving as the Chairman of the Defense and Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Pensions Committee, Representative Flynn leaves behind an impressive legacy of leadership and selfless service to the people of Texas. He also served as a member of the U.S. Military and a Brigadier General in the Texas State Guard. Representative Flynn will be dearly missed, and our prayers go out to his wife and family during this time of grief.”

Current Texas District 2 State Representative Bryan Slaton also released a statement about the passing of Flynn.

“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Representative Flynn,” said Slaton. “My sincerest condolences go out to his family, and I offer up my prayers for comfort and peace. The news of the passing of Dan Flynn is a reminder to all of us that life is fragile. We are all grateful to Representative Flynn for the work he did to defend innocent life and for his service to our community, and I am thankful that the Lord saw fit to allow Dan to witness the ending of Roe vs. Wade after a lifetime of fighting for the unborn.

“I would ask everyone to lift up Dan Flynn’s family during this time of grieving,” continued Slaton. “Though Dan and I didn’t agree on everything, we both professed faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and that is a glorious thing to celebrate today.”

Janice Melton, who worked for Flynn as his district director from April 2006 through January 2020, said, “Dan was a very family-oriented man. He was a strongly Godly Christian man. I enjoyed working with him. He always had time to sit down and talk with you. He would talk to anybody. If I needed anything, he was a tremendous help. His greatest strength as a state representative was that he was kind to everybody. He knew a whole lot about business. He never met a stranger. He was not only a boss, he was a friend.”

VZC Pct. 2 Commissioner Virgil Melton Jr. said, “I met Dan in 2006,” recalled Melton. “He was our state representative then. Dan was a good friend to me and Janice. I was elected as commissioner in 2007 and Dan was a great to help to me with advice and other things that I felt like needed to be done for VZC and in Austin. We became very good friends.

“His greatest strength as a state representative was his ability to work with all of the legislators,” continued the VZC Pct. 2 commissioner. “Dan was a Republican. I thought he was a conservative but there were others who did not think he was conservative enough. Dan was able to move legislative bills because of his ability to talk and negotiate. He was a very good negotiator. Dan was a good Christian man. Anytime we went out to dinner, he would never eat until he prayed over the meal and thank God for all that he had.”

Texas State Senator Bob Hall said, “I was saddened to hear about the recent passing of fellow Texan and Chairman Dan Flynn, former State Representative for Texas House District 2. He is survived by his wife, Susan, and three children; Josh, Tammy and Missy, and will be dearly missed. Kay and I send our deepest condolences and pray for God’s comfort for the family.

“We are grateful for his service to our country in the U.S. military and his service to the people of Texas in the Texas House of Representatives,” continued Hall. “Dan also distinguished himself by being appointed to Brigadier General in the Texas State Guard.

“We served the same constituents in Van Zandt, Hopkins, and Hunt Counties for five years,” said Hall. “As a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and a pro-Life advocate, Dan and I worked on several bills together defending those rights. Dan worked tirelessly to gain the rights of Texas schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. I have no doubt Dan was as pleased as all Christians were when the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade.

“Chairman Flynn and I would frequently talk about his relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” concluded Hall. “Although we are sad, we can rejoice in knowing that today, he is celebrating eternity with our Lord and Savior.”

VZC Judge Don Kirkpatrick said, “Dan Flynn will be remembered as a true American, a proud Texan and exemplary public servant, a man who chose what was right over what was convenient. His work in the Texas House will forever have a profound impact on the Great State of Texas and America. I had the privilege to know Dan, and his wife, Susan, on a personal level, before either of us served in politics and will always cherish the friendship, memories and great times we shared together. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones as our State mourns his loss. Dan Flynn will be forever missed but never forgotten.”

City of Canton Mayor Lou Ann Everett said, “I was sad to hear of Representative Dan Flynn’s passing. He served Texas House District 2 well for 18 years. I always felt I could easily get a few minutes of his time when I had city concerns. He kept his eye on VZC and he did not stop being interested in goings on in the area even when he was out of office. He always had a smile on his face, that big cowboy hat and a hand held out ready to shake someone’s hand. He will be missed here in VZC just as I am sure he was missed in Austin when he left. May he rest well.”

VZC Judge-Elect Andy Reese said, “Godly, humble, your best friend. Those are the character traits I admired the most about my friend, Dan Flynn. My family has been greatly influenced by our friendship with Dan and Susan Flynn. He has shown us how to get results, while giving credit to someone else. He has shown us how to face and then overcome adversity while giving the Lord the glory. He has shown us how to work with others to accomplish a goal. He has been an inspiration to my whole family for more than a decade and has shown us what a good and faithful servant looks like. Thank you, Dan Flynn, for all you have contributed to our county, state, and nation.”

Flynn is survived by his wife, Susan; his son and daughter-inlaw, Josh and Joan; his daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Mike; daughter, Missy; and five grandchildren including a great-granddaughter, Charlotte, and a great-grandson, Logan.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at Eubank Funeral Home in Canton.