Francis "Frank" A. Flynn

Francis A. “Frank” Flynn, age 96, passed away comforted by his family Saturday, July 31, 2021. He was the husband of the late Isabella G. (Grzyb) Flynn to whom he was married 52 years before her passing in 2001.

Born in Pawtucket, RI, a son of the late Frank and Ethel F. (Hennick) Flynn, he was a long time resident of Swansea, Massachusetts.

Francis was educated at St. Joseph’s School before accepting a sports scholarship (track and football) at St. Raphael Academy High School in Pawtucket, RI. During his senior year in 1943, Francis was approved for Aviation Cadet training and was put into the Enlisted Reserves Corps. Shortly afterwards, Francis was ordered to active duty, where he served in the Pacific theatre of World War II as a US Army rifleman stationed in the Philippines. After the war, Frank went back to school and finished his High School education, eventually going on to later earn a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Dyeing from the Bradford Durfee College of Technology in 1949 and a Master’s degree in Education from Suffork University 1971.

Frank began a lengthy career as a textile chemist in 1953, serving as a chief chemist and consultant for many textile companies. Later on in the 1960’s, Francis moved his family to Milano, Italy for two years, where he helped to assist and grow the Italian Spandex and nylon-6 fibers industry. Upon returning to the US, Francis continued his consulting work before purchasing Norwich Textiles in 1986 and assuming the position of President. He ran this company, with the help of his son Frank “Patrick”, under the name of SMS Textile Mills. The company was headquartered in Norwich, CT, with a knitting plant in Allentown, PA, a dye house in Norwich, CT, and a sales office in New York’s Empire State Building. In 2001, Francis sold the business and retired.

In retirement, Francis had many passions: a communicant of St. Dominic’s Church, reading history books, watching the New England Patriots, researching family genealogy, learning to play piano, traveling throughout Europe, enjoyed taking cruises all over the world, walking the Swansea Mall, going to the gym, going out to restaurants for Italian food, hanging out with friends in the neighborhood, and spending time with his wife and family. He was known for his warm and loving demeanor with family and friends, his “can do” attitude while lending a helping hand, his sharp and witty humor, his kind and compassionate spirit, and most of all, his generous heart. A true family man, his family always came first.

He is survived by two sons, Frank “Patrick” Flynn and his wife Karen Borrelli of Cape Coral, FL and Peter A. Flynn and his wife Elizabeth A. Beshara of Portsmouth, RI; one daughter Kathleen A. Flynn and her husband Robert G. Horton of Swansea, MA; six grandchildren, Heather and her husband Stephen, Patrick, Kelly, Kevin, James and his wife Emily and Jonathan and his wife Lauren; and six great grandchildren, Donovan, Deborah, Joshua, Logan, Mackenzie, and Wesley.

His Funeral Service will be held Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 9:00 AM from the Waring-Sullivan Home at Birchcrest, 189 Gardners Neck Road followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Dominic’s Church, 1277 GAR Highway, Swansea, MA 02777. Burial will be in Mount St. Mary’s Cemetery, Pawtucket, RI. Visiting hours are Friday, August 6, 2021 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM. Contributions in his honor may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA 02453 and/or HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904, attn: philanthropy and/or St. Dominic’s Church, Swansea.