William L. "Bill" Flynn, surrounded by his family, peacefully ascended to Our Lord at 6:40 p.m. Feb. 27, 2015. He was 98. Bill was born in New Castle on June 7, 1916, to the late Augustus and Julia Kelly Flynn. He attended St. Mary School in New Castle through the ninth grade, at which time he left school to find full-time employment to help support his widowed mother and his three younger brothers. At age 20, Bill began employment with the Johnson Bronze Co. in New Castle, where he retired from in 1981. In 1941, at age 25, he entered the Army to serve four years, serving in Scotland, England, France, Belgium and Germany during World War II, earning the rank of sergeant. He married Emma Jayne "Toots" Callahan on Sept. 12, 1946, and she preceded him in death on June 3, 2009. He was a lifelong member of St. Mary Church, Mary, Mother of Hope Parish, and a former member of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima. Bill was a prayerful man of devout faith, meek and humble at heart, but a man strong in character and integrity. Aside from his family and his faith, Bill enjoyed gardening, swimming, singing old-time war songs. He has left an indelible mark on his family, one that will last generations. Bill is survived by his six daughters, Marianne Travers, Julia Kennedy, Rosemary Hiler, Marcia Fennell, Donna Reisker and Annmarie Esposito; his eight sons, Patrick, William, John, David, Daniel, Timothy, Robert and Brian Flynn; his 44 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. In addition to his beloved wife and parents, he was preceded into eternal life by an infant sister and three younger brothers, Jim, John and Gus Flynn, and two great-grandsons. Calling hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 2, at the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, 111 W. Falls St. A procession will leave the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday for St. Mary Church, where a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. by the Rev. Frank Almade, pastor. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery. Full military rites will be conducted by the New Castle Area Honor Guard following the committal prayers.