William P. “Bill” Flynn

William P. “Bill” Flynn, 64, of Sanford, entered into the arms of the Lord on Monday, September 28, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family.

Bill was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, on April 13, 1962, the son of Paul and Mary Flynn. One of eleven children, he grew up in Charlestown in a large and lively family, where the values of faith, family, hard work, and looking out for one another became deeply rooted in him. He attended local schools and graduated from Christopher Columbus High School.

During his working years, Bill made his living swinging a hammer as a roofer throughout the Boston area. He was an exceptionally hard worker who took great pride in his trade, but even greater pride in knowing that his work allowed him to provide for the people he loved. For Bill, family was never simply part of his life—it was at the center of it.

While in his twenties, Bill met Michelle Couture, the woman who would become his wife. The couple married and eventually relocated to Sanford, Maine, where they built a life together and raised their four children. They shared many years of marriage and family life until Michelle’s passing in 2009.

In 2010, Bill was blessed to find love again when he met Marissa. They married in 2012, and together they welcomed two more children into the family. Bill embraced this new chapter of his life with the same devotion he brought to everything that mattered to him. He was a loving and devoted husband, a proud father and grandfather, and a man who found his greatest happiness simply in being surrounded by his family.

Above all else, Bill was a man of deep and abiding faith. A devout Catholic, he placed God and family first and tried each day to live accordingly. His faith was not something he merely spoke about; it could be seen in the way he treated people, the way he loved his family, and the way he faced both life’s blessings and its hardships.

Bill was very active in his parish and found particular fulfillment in helping to lead men’s groups and participating in ACTS Retreats. He enjoyed sharing his faith with others, but never in a forceful way. Instead, he led by example, offering encouragement, friendship, and his own testimony whenever the opportunity arose. His was a humble and joyful faith, one that gave him strength throughout his life and became especially evident during difficult times.

One of Bill’s favorite sayings, drawn from the words of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, 16:24, summed up much of the way he tried to live his life: “Forget yourself, pick up your cross and follow Me.” He understood that life would not always be easy, but he believed deeply in carrying whatever cross was placed before him with faith, courage, and trust in God.

That strength became especially apparent as his health declined. Bill was not one to complain or dwell on his troubles. Even when things were difficult, he maintained his positive attitude, his sense of humor, and his concern for everyone around him. He would much rather ask how someone else was doing than talk about himself and genuinely wanted to know the answer.

Bill had an extraordinary ability to make friends wherever he went. He truly never met a stranger. Give him a few minutes with someone new and, more often than not, he had made another friend. He loved people, loved conversation, and loved to laugh and joke around. His warmth and easygoing sense of humor put people at ease, while his genuine interest in their lives made them feel valued. Those friendships were not superficial; Bill truly cared about people and remembered the things that mattered to them.

He was also immensely proud of his Irish heritage and enjoyed cheering on the New England Patriots. Football provided plenty of opportunities for conversation, friendly debate, laughter, and the good-natured joking that came so naturally to him.

For all the things Bill enjoyed, however, nothing compared to his faith and his family. They were the foundation upon which he built his life. He loved deeply, worked hard, laughed often, trusted God, and tried to leave the people he encountered a little better than he found them.

Bill’s absence will be deeply felt by the many people whose lives he touched. Yet for those who knew the depth of his faith, there is comfort in knowing that God, whom Bill trusted and followed throughout his life has now welcomed him home. The faith he so willingly shared with others now offers those who loved him the promise that death is not the end, but the beginning of eternal life.

Bill will be remembered for his strong hands and hardworking spirit, his quick sense of humor, his Irish pride, his devotion to his family, the friendships he formed so easily, and above all, his unwavering faith. He leaves behind a family who loved him dearly, countless people who were fortunate enough to call him a friend, and a legacy of faith and kindness that will continue long after his passing.

The world is a better place because Bill Flynn was in it, and those who loved him can take comfort in believing that, after faithfully carrying his cross, he has finally laid it down and entered into the arms of the Lord.

Bill was predeceased by his first wife, Michelle Flynn; his parents, Paul and Mary Flynn; and five siblings, Paul Flynn, Marty Flynn, Ann Flynn, Elaine Hennessy, and Barbara Flynn.

He is survived by his loving wife, Marissa Flynn of Sanford; his six children, Ryan Getchell and his wife, Erin, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, Jillian Layne and her husband, Jonathan, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, Brent Getchell and his wife, Amanda, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, Garrett Flynn and his wife, Kayleigh, of Sanford, Natalie Flynn of Sanford, and Liam Flynn of Sanford; nine grandchildren, including Rory, Quinlan, Colin William, Nolan, Brianna, Joseph, Savannah, Sheamus, and Elianna; five siblings, Maureen O’Brien of Everett, Massachusetts, Kathy Flynn of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, Chrissy Flynn and her wife, Karen, of Everett, Massachusetts, Joe Flynn and his wife, Debbie, of Stoughton, Massachusetts, and Tommy Flynn and his wife, Susan, of Wakefield, Massachusetts; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, October 6, at Black Heald & Walker Funeral Home, 580 Main Street in Springvale. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, October 7, at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish, 66 North Avenue in Sanford. Interment will follow at St. Ignatius Cemetery in Sanford.