Lauren Nicole Flanigan, PhD.

Lauren Nicole Flanigan, of Ellicott City, MD, passed away on July 10, 2021.  She was born on March 20, 1981, in Baltimore, MD.  She was raised by her loving parents Lisa Wright and Marvin Wright of Spring Grove, PA and Rodney Warren Baker and Nancy Baker of Ocean Pines, MD.  Lauren was the beloved wife of Alexander Flanigan.  They would have observed their fifth wedding anniversary on September 24.  She was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Greenbelt, MD.

Lauren was a strong advocate for continuing education.  She was a 1999 graduate of Susquehannock High School in Glen Rock, PA.  In 2003 she graduated from Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA with a B.A. in French and Communications.  She earned a B.S. in Nursing from George Mason University in 2007.  In 2011, Lauren earned a B.A. and in 2020 completed her Ph.D. in English Language and Literature at the University of Maryland.

Lauren was fluent in the French language and taught English as a second language for a year in Lille, France.  She was previously employed as a registered nurse at the Inova Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, VA, historic George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society in Arlington, VA and most recently by the University of Maryland, College Park, MD as a professor and academic advisor.

She was passionate about the public perception of those who have experienced breast cancer.  Consequently, she devoted her doctoral dissertation to, “Pink Survival Porn and Its Malcontents: Visual Breast Cancer Narratives in Contemporary American Media”.  Lauren was admired for the power of her unique voice, which joined personal memoir, activism, academic inquiry, and her deep knowledge of nursing to demand more representative illness perspectives in order to improve the equity and empathy of healthcare in the United States. Lauren gave her whole self to every dimension of her work, not only her research but also her teaching and advising. Lauren had fought cancer for 12 years and was adorned by those who loved her as “Wonder Woman” for the fortitude and strength she displayed throughout her courageous battle.

Lauren’s pleasant personality was contagious to everyone she met. It took only a few moments of being in her presence before someone would break a smile or chuckle around her.  She was a kid at heart and surrounded herself with things that made her smile; Harry Potter, Legos, and all things Star Wars. Lauren had many talents, but one she took great pride in was finding the ideal gift for family and friends, a gift she gained from her Mom, Lisa.  She often combed through the many observations and interactions she had with friends and family to find the perfect something to express her affection.  Then she took delicate care to intricately wrap the gift and Lauren found great joy in giving gifts that aligned with the exact passions and interests of the recipients.  Little did she know, her presence and attentiveness was more than enough gift for those who cherished her

As a child, Lauren enjoyed horseback riding and performed in dressage competitions for a number of years. She participated in the high school color guard and band.  She originally played the clarinet, but once she learned the clarinet section sat in the back row, she quickly changed to bassoon so she could be right in the front.  Most people recall her bassoon sounding more similar to a moose. She also played softball (#6) from a young age and continued her career throughout college on the Juniata softball team.

In recent years, she was introduced by her husband, Alex, to skiing, biking, and hunting.  They often explored hiking trails in the Appalachians, found beauty out west visiting friends, and traveled on adventures around the world.  Lauren and Alex made a perfect match, complimenting each other in every way, finding the lighter side through shared inside jokes, and exploring the new together.  While at their new home, Lauren recently took up gardening and relaxing by the pool.  She loved spending a quiet evening on the patio with her fur babies Sheldon and Bailey by her side while reading a good book or tackling a challenging game of Sudoku.  Lauren was also known to take on the champions of Jeopardy with her staggering quick wit.  A devoted sports fan, she always cheered for UMD, Navy, and the Orioles.

In addition to her husband and parents, Lauren is survived by her sisters, Kerianne Baker and Kathleen Fulton (Tyler) and children, Clark, Atlas, Silas and Boone; uncles, Dennis Baker (Brenda) and James Wainwright (Mary); parents-in-law, Roy and Leah Flanigan; brother-in-law, Eric Flanigan (Alison) and children, Charlotte, Jack, Emma and Piper; in addition to the nieces, nephews, and numerous cousins and friends in the United States and England.

Lauren was preceded in death by her grandparents, James and Alice Wainwright and Roland and Dorothy Baker.

As an expression of sympathy, the family suggests that in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Lauren's name to one of the following charities:

Donate blood to the Red Cross:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive

Sisters by Choice:
https://www.sistersbychoice.org/

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts:
https://smithcenter.org/

Tiger Lily Foundation:
https://www.tigerlilyfoundation.org/

The SCAR Project:
https://www.thescarproject.org/be-involved/

Friends and family are invited to Lauren’s celebration of life on Saturday, July 24, 2021 at Donaldson Funeral Home in Clarksville, 12540 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, MD beginning at 11:00 AM.   Pastor Stephen Mentz will preside. There will be a luncheon at the funeral home immediately following the service. To watch the live-streaming of this service at 11:00am please click HERE.

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