Colleen M. Flanary

Nancy Colleen (McClellan) Flanary, 91, of Gate City, VA, passed away on January 22, 2024, at Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, TN, following a period of declining health and then a massive stroke.

Colleen was born at home outside Gate City, VA, the youngest child of James W. and Nannie (Benton) McClellan.  Colleen and her beloved husband, Dewey, built their home next door to her parents and lived there for their remaining years.  She worked at Tennessee Eastman for several years and later at Hackney Furniture in Gate City with best friends Scott “Pidge” and Reba Hackney.  But Colleen’s most important jobs were caring for her parents in their declining years, caring for Dewey and traveling around the area with him as he sang in gospel quartets, being a shining Christian example to her nieces and nephews, and in telling everyone she met about God’s amazing goodness.

In addition to her parents, Colleen was preceded in death by her sister Betty (Edward) Carter; half-sisters Nell (Carson) Frazier, and Maye (Charles) Fraysier; brother Harry (Nell) McClellan and half-brother Gladston (Ruby) McClellan; and nephews Larry (Ann) Frazier, Wallace McClellan and Delmar Fraysier.

Left to cherish her memory are brothers-in-law Edward Carter of Kingsport and Harry (Roxie) Flanary of Colorado; nieces and nephews Jerrie (Wayne) Garner, Gary (Cheryl) Fraysier, Wendell (Barbara) McClellan, Carletta (Charles) Flanary, Brenda (Anson) Minton, Nancy (Steve) Cottingham, Nelda (E.C.) Hill, John (Patti) Frazier, Chris Street, Debbie (Jerry) Smith, and Barry Flanary; many great-nieces and great-nephews, several great-greats, and a host of friends.

So many people came into Colleen’s life and remained there, none more faithful and precious to her than brother-in-law Edward Carter and friends Reba Hackney, Wilma Maultbay, Linda and Roger Morrison, and Diane Jennings.  Nieces Nelda Hill, Debbie Smith and Chris Street provided the necessary support for Colleen to live independently until her final days, and they held true Colleen’s belief that “family is everything.”

The family will receive friends from 3-4:00 p.m., Friday, January 26, 2024, at the Gate City Funeral Home. Services will be conducted at 4:00 p.m. in the Gene Falin Memorial Chapel of the funeral home with Pastor Doug Findley and Pastor Garin Hill officiating. 

An online guest register is available for the Flanary family at www.gatecityfunerals.com. 

Gate City Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family of Colleen M. Flanary.