Joseph P. Flanagan 3d, 63, real estate investment specialist

Joseph P. Flanagan 3d, 63, of Flourtown, a specialist in real estate investment, died Saturday, Feb. 4, of complications from lung cancer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Flanagan retired in 2015 after 29 years as manager of the real estate investment portfolio for TIAA, a national financial services company formerly known as the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund. He worked at various times out of TIAA offices in New York, Washington, and Charlotte, N.C., necessitating "a lot of train travel," said his sister, Maureen Flanagan.

Born and reared in the Philadelphia area, Mr. Flanagan attended Chestnut Hill Academy and graduated in 1971 from the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass. In 1975, he earned a business degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he developed an entrepreneurial spirit and made many friends, his family said.

Mr. Flanagan had a lifelong interest in all aspects of real estate. He started out as property manager at the Hill House, an apartment complex in Chestnut Hill, and went on to experiment with the renovation of a Brooklyn walk-up that set the tone for the beautification of the neighborhood.

He had a serious knack for spotting the shopping centers and office buildings that would become the backbone of his TIAA portfolio. Although dedicated to the job, he also was a lively man with "a great talent for life," his coworkers told his family.

As a boy, Mr. Flanagan enjoyed summers sailing small boats at Pocono Lake Preserve. Later, he shared his love of sailing with family and friends on the Chesapeake Bay.

Mr. Flanagan was an avid skier, cyclist, gardener, and sports fan. He followed the Flyers and Eagles. His other hobbies included brewing beer in his bathtub, in his younger days, and creating a vineyard in his backyard, though he never got around to making wine. "He bought plants from California, and had the plants growing up until two years ago," his sister said.

"Joe had a generous and loving spirit and did his best to make sure that everyone enjoyed life as much as he did, whether it was sailing in a stiff breeze or flipping burgers at family picnics," his sister said.

Joseph P. Flanagan 4^th said his father was skilled at seeing the humorous side of life and capitalizing on what might seem to others to be a bad situation.

"In both his real estate ventures and in his relationships, he saw the possibilities and brought out the best of what came into his life," his son said.

Besides his son and sister, Mr. Flanagan is survived by his wife, Rowena Dunque Flanagan; his father, Joseph P. Flanagan Jr.; daughters Tatiana Ragone, Tara Limjoco, and Daphne DiFranco; and four grandchildren. His mother, Mary Elizabeth Flanagan, died in 2014.

A Funeral Mass was held Thursday, Feb. 9.

Memorial contributions may be made to the lung cancer program, c/o the Abramson Cancer Center, 3535 Market St., Suite 750, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104.