Christine Flanagan Imber
1914-2020
Christine Flanagan Imber died peacefully in her sleep at the young age of 106 on February 27, 2020. Christine was born on January 10, 1914 in Port Arthur, Texas, to Christopher John Flanagan and Hazel Grubb Flanagan. In 1920 her family moved to Houston. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1932. She attended Incarnate Word College & Houston University. She worked for several years at the Texas Company, which became Texaco. She was the first women to serve on the board of The Texaco Country Club. In 1947 she married Joseph Robert Imber, they were happily married for 44 years. She and her husband were founding members of St. Michael's Catholic Church. Christine was a past President of The Charity Guild of Catholic Women. In 1997, John Cardinal O'Connor made her a Dame of Malta in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. Christine was also a Lady Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. She was active in many civic organizations in The City of Houston. She served for twenty years on the board of The Houston Grand Opera, during that time she chaired The Opera Ball. Her love of Opera brought her to New York City to serve for several years on the Opera Guild of The New York Metropolitan Opera. She was a past President and board member of The Houston Heritage Society, served on the board of The Performing Arts Society and helped found The Emenseirs Museum of The Houston Baptist College, where she was President of their American Museum Society for two years. Through her involvement with The Houston Consular Core she worked closely with The Houston Chamber of Commerce for many years and she chaired The Consular Ball. While working with The Consular Core she made many lasting international friendships with Consular representatives. She was a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution, Lady Washington Chapter. She was a member of River Oaks Country Club for over sixty years. She and her beloved husband traveled the world for business and pleasure. As she aged she often enjoyed reliving those travels with vivid memories.
She is survived by her daughter, Katie Schuller Bleakie and her husband Maxwell Bleakie of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts; her son, J. Robert Imber, Jr. and his wife Amy of Houston; her grandchildren Clayton Schuller his wife Emily Schuller of Needham, Massachusetts, Katie Imber of Houston, Leslie Imber of Chicago, Illinois, and J.R. Imber, III., of Austin, Texas; and her two great grandchildren, William and Owen Schuller of Needham, Massachusetts. Her sister Hazel Margaret Coughran of Tilden, Texas, and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Thursday, March 5, from 5-8 pm, a Rosary will be said at 7pm in The Hunters Creek Chapel at Earthman Funeral Directors, 8303 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77024. A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, March 6 at 10am at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road, Houston, Texas 77056.
Donations may be sent to: Incarnate Word Academy in honor of Sister Mary Brendan,
609 Crawford St., Houston, Texas 77002 or www.incarnateword.org They would click on the the giving tab to make their donation.