Lucy Ann O'Flaherty

On May 19, 2026, Lucy Pickett O’Flaherty, loving widow and mother of three, passed away at the age of 91 in Hingham, Massachusetts. From the beginning, Lucy was full of contrasts and distinctions. Lucy was the first Southerner in the long line of Beverley Picketts. A product of public schools in Griffin, Georgia, she earned a degree in Political Science at Swarthmore College and did not return south for over a decade. A daughter of a leading agricultural scientist and mentored by her Aunt Lucy Westin Pickett, a storied chemist teaching at Mount Holyoke, Lucy became a lifelong symphony, theater, and art aficionado.

Immediately following her graduation in 1956, Lucy moved to New York City in search of excitement and opportunity. She started with the New York League of Women Voters and then moved to the Ford Foundation. It was in New York where she met her life-long love, Bob O’Flaherty. In New York, they made fast friends, great memories, and developed their love of theater. Everywhere they went, Bob and Lucy made connections that lasted a lifetime, and often generations.

Shortly after the birth of their first son, Bob and Lucy left New York for Venezuela, establishing the pattern of expat experiences and new friends for their family. Their other two children were both born in Venezuela, but as they approached school age they returned to the United States. First in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, then Waynesboro, Virginia, where Lucy established roots in friends, community, and church. Within a few years of arriving in Waynesboro, she was elected to the School Board and on Friends of the Library committees.

In 1978, they once again became expats, moving to London for three years - living only blocks from Harrods. Taking full advantage of living in Europe, Lucy organized multiple family trips across western Europe, Ireland, and the UK. When the overseas assignment ended, they moved back to Waynesboro before a change of jobs took Bob to Medfield, Massachusetts, where Lucy became a realtor. They enjoyed Medfield greatly for its proximity to Boston, the MFA, the Symphony and multiple theater companies. Medfield was also close to the generational family home on Pocasset. Summer weekends on the porch, hosting friends, and of course catching every show at the College Light Opera.

The lure of the expat experience had them leave Medfield for Tokyo, where Lucy thrived. She joined the College Women Association of Japan, a non-profit that provided cultural exchange and scholarships for Japanese to study abroad. The defining fundraiser of CWAJ is the juried print show. Lucy became a member of the committee, meeting Japanese artists, hosting VIPs, and organizing the event. Anyone who has visited her home would be treated to stories of the artist and their work that gradually took over their home.

When the overseas assignment ended, Bob’s next position took them to Manlius, New York. It was a relatively short time there, but Lucy decided it was time enough to build a house with special touches that appealed to her organization, style of hosting, and room to host her first grandchildren at holidays.

In retirement, Lucy and Bob moved to Hilton Head Island. Lucy continued her connection with non-profits and rekindled her political activities. A member of the local Episcopal church, she participated in multiple outreach projects, taking particular interest in the local Gullah history and community. She and Bob became active in life-long learning and traveled.

Lucy and Bob summered in Wenaumett Bluffs, Pocasset, Massachusetts. The house was a legacy of her New England roots. Originally bought by her great uncle, it had been passed down to her mother and aunt. This home, more than anywhere else, defined Lucy’s hospitality. A standing invite to cocktails on the porch to watch the sunset was offered to all friends. Grandchildren and their friends were welcome for a weekend by the beach.

After many happy years, Bob and Lucy moved their home from Hilton Head to Linden Ponds in Hingham. Only an hour from the Cape House, it provided the support and flexibility for them both. Known for her determined and long walks, Lucy was well known in her community. She loved the trips to Boston’s MFA, her subscription to the Symphony, days on the Cape, and trips to see family or friends.

Lucy was preceded in death by her parents, Tom and Dorothy, her sister, Priscilla, and her beloved husband Robert. She is survived by her brother, Tom, her three children, Douglas, Anne & Ken, and six grandchildren, and a loving extended family and friends collected by her many travels.

A memorial service for Lucy will be held this summer at St. Barnabas’s Episcopal Church in Falmouth Massachusetts. A date has not yet been set. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the charity of your choice in Lucy’s name.