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Calendar: Saturday, Sept. 13 ... Police Reports ... Calendar: Friday, Sept. 12 ... SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY Longtime dean honored as fine leader, friend Steve Flynn served university for 27 years By John Darling Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 11, 2014 @ 5:20 pm Updated Sep 11, 2014 at 5:22 PM By John Darling Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 11, 2014 @ 5:20 pm Updated Sep 11, 2014 at 5:22 PM » Social News Family, colleagues and friends of the late Steve Flynn gathered outside Southern Oregon University’s McNeal Pavilion Wednesday to dedicate two large steel benches bearing plaques to honor the 27-year dean of students and director of financial aid who died of Alzheimer’s last year at 74. With no shortage of damp eyes and choked voices, Flynn was recalled as that rare kind of administrator who made it fun for everyone, loved jokes, nicknames, one-line zingers and keggers and could still get the job done at the highest level, while always honoring the student first. The towering Flynn, a 6-foot, 6-inch varsity basketball player at Oregon State University and decorated officer in the Marine tank corps in Vietnam, came to then-Southern Oregon College in 1971. “Steve really had the ability to connect with students,” said Ron Bolstad, retired director of Finance & Administration. “He knew how to have fun, didn’t he?”  Kavinda Arthenayake, now OSU director of conference services, said everyone thought of Flynn, an avid jogger and marathoner, clothed in tennies, T-shirt and running shorts, then hitting the Log Cabin tavern for a few pops afterward. “He touched our lives. He was dedicated to life and his profession,” said Arthenayake. “He celebrated life every day and always saw the good in everyone. He was a tireless advocate for each student. The student always came first.” His wife, Joan Flynn, recalled that in early days he took her to the cavernous, pipe-filled basement of Stevenson Union and said he envisioned it filled with a big student center and that’s exactly what happened. His jogging pal and “closest friend” for 25 years, former Ashland city Administrator Brian Almquist, said Flynn would cajole him into unimaginably long and high-elevation runs, including to the top of Mount Ashland and the Bay-to-Breakers in San Francisco. In addition, he noted, Flynn would volunteer immense amounts of time to United Way, the YMCA and many other boards. “He was the boss and set up the financial aid program but he never let you know he was the boss, though of course he always made the final decisions,” said Connie Alexander, who succeeded him as financial aid director. “He was always relaxed, never in a panic or temper. He left you to run your area. He had a tremendous feeling for making us a family. He let us play rock music all day, so down to earth, self-deprecating.” When Alexander saw Flynn for the last time, his final words, she notes, were, “We had fun, didn’t we?” After the gathering, the crowd retired to Caldera Brewery to order some pints. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Email him at [email protected]. By John Darling Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Sep. 11, 2014 @ 5:20 pm Updated Sep 11, 2014 at 5:22 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. 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