November 5, 1924 – April 13, 2024
Mim died at the Merrimack County Nursing Home on April 13, 2024, with her son and
daughter holding her hands. She was born in Melrose Mass. on November 5,1924 to
Glenna (Towner) Flagg and Arthur S. Flagg.
As soon as she could walk, Mim was taught to skate by her favorite grandfather
(Towner) on the family pond, Towner’s Pond, in Melrose (where ice was cut – before
refrigeration).
After graduating from the Katherine Gibbs School, she soon became secretary to the
President of Anderson Engineering in Cambridge, where she loved her job, especially
correcting the engineers’ mistakes.
Mim met the love of her life, Clark, while they were members of the Methodist Youth
Group “The Crusaders”. They were married on April 7, 1951 and remained in love for 69
years until Clark’s death in 2020. The Crusaders later became The Merry Mates, where
the church friends remained in touch the rest of their lives with frequent get-togethers
over the years.
Raising her family in Reading, Mass., Mim was a busy and active mother to her children
Jane P. Libbey (Byard), Susan Phillips-Young (Michael), and Stephen Clark Phillips (ex-
wife Shirley). She was a loving grandmother to 7 Grandchildren: Ginger Clark, Brian
Phillips Young (deceased), Matthew Young, Christine Gray, Daniel Gray, Andrew
Milano, and Nick Milano, as well as 7 great-grandchildren. She remained very close to
her many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.
As they got their business, Profile Promotions Advertising Specialties, off the ground,
Mim became Clark’s right-hand, running the business and keeping the books in order.
Over the years, they supplied advertising items to every governor of New Hampshire.
In 1986, Mim and Clark built a Maine Post and Beam home in S. Newbury NH, where
they enjoyed the mountain views and made the most of their country lifestyle. They both
loved their wonderful quiet retreat, heated with wood, which became a gathering place
for family and friends.
She and Clark loved Bermuda from the time they first went for their 25th wedding
anniversary; and get out of her way if she was on one of the motor scooters! A lover of
nature, she enjoyed camping, and backpacking; spending summers at Terrace Pines
Campground and Isle Au Haut. Mim was an expert at identifying birds, wildflowers, and
edible things in the forest, much to the delight of her fellow hikers. Flagg Acres in
Melrose Mass. was founded through the generous donation Mim made to the
Conservation Commission in honor of her parents. She instilled in her children and
grandchildren a love of the outdoors and fresh air, camping and hiking.
Throughout her life, Mim loved her many cat and dog companions and remembered
fondly her Morgan horse Redwey, who took her frequently through the Middlesex Fells
Reservation and around Spot Pond, even drinking from the forbidden reservoir – shhhh.
Mim would seek out and pet any dog or cat she came upon.
A true New England cook, she and her recipes were once the subject of a local
newspaper story. She enjoyed doing latch-hook, needlepoint, and knitting afghans and
great winter socks. It was well known that she preferred to be barefoot, and she
delighted in a nightly gin and tonic even at 99! Always energetic, she rode her own
motorcycle well into her 70s, and was in charge of mowing their acres in S. Newbury
well into her 90s. She was known to always speak her mind, and the staff at MCNH
often spoke of loving her for her positive attitude and cheery disposition.
As a descendant of the first Pilgrims to arrive in Plymouth, she belonged to the
Mayflower Society, to the Upham Society of Melrose MA (descendant of the author of
the Pledge of Allegiance), and to the sorority “Kappa”. Mim was also descended from
Suzanna North Martin, who was tragically persecuted during the Salem MA furor of
1692.
Mim was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, neighbor and friend, and will be very
greatly missed by those who know and love her.
Burial will be in the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery on Thursday, April 25,
2024 at 2 pm. A service will be held at the cemetery.
