Memorial serviceAug, 4 20227:00p.m. - 8:00p.m.Hillsborough Presbyterian ChurchSend Flowers

William (Bill) Kelly Flinn died with his beloved wife, Lisa, on July 12, 2022 at age 77. He was born June 4, 1945 in High Point, NC, to Henry I and Mary Alan (Clinard) Flinn. He spent most of his childhood in Montgomery, AL, where his parents were active in the civil rights movement. It was in his father's construction company that Bill developed his work ethic. As a child he earned money by picking up nails and cleaning tools on his father's building sites. On one of these sites, he found Chaw Chaw, the first of his several pet squirrels. He also rescued a baby horned owl whom he named Mr. Hootie. He moved to Chapel Hill in 1964 to attend UNC-Chapel Hill. One of Bill's childhood hobbies was electroplating, which lead to a job at IBM doing electroplating and equipment testing. However, since his car was a hearse, and he slept in the IBM isolation chamber during breaks, and he was the only employee who grew a beard, he concluded his independent, unconventional approach to life was not a good match for long-term employment with IBM. During his tenure with IBM, Bill raced motorcycles in flat track and drag events while simultaneously learning to weld in order to make alterations and repairs to his motorcycles. After leaving IBM, he created and sold cut-coin jewelry at craft shows across North Carolina and started a small welding business. As his welding and metal fabrication skills advanced and his reputation for excellence grew, his business expanded, and he established a welding shop on his property in Orange County. He focused on architectural welding and became the 'go-to' person for challenging projects in and around Orange County. Bill willingly shared his knowledge and expertise with others in the community. He was a patient, natural born teacher. Bill was once described by a friend as "the Yoda of welding." Another friend remembered that when parting from an encounter, Bill always asked, "Is there anything I can do for you or is there anything I can help you with?" As he moved into retirement and the role of full-time caretaker for his wife, Bill transitioned his welding business to his son, Harrison Flinn. Bill married Lisa Nevolene Harrison on April 1, 1983. (They said they married on April Fool's Day because they were "fools in love"). They built their home in Hillsborough where they raised three children. They later renewed their vows in a beautiful ceremony held at the Hillsborough Presbyterian Church on April 1, 2005. Bill's love for Lisa, who had been declared legally blind from macular degeneration, and his commitment to his children guided his choice to build his business close to home where he could support the family in both material and non-material ways. He and Lisa developed a close partnership, leveraging each other's strengths to meet the changing needs of their family. Bill helped Lisa lead a very constructive and independent life. He did all the driving, continually modified the house to accommodate her needs, and found adaptive equipment such as magnifiers. As Lisa's journey through Alzheimer's Disease progressed, Bill remained a loving and dedicated care giver. He took over the cooking, leveraging Youtube videos to help him master the necessary skills. The results of a search for 'how to make southern sweet tea' were still showing on his computer the day he died. Both Bill and Lisa had an interest in gardening. They had abundant flower gardens and a very impressive vegetable garden. Bill used his welding and metal fabrication skills to create unique 'yard art'. This included whimsical gates and arches, large bell chimes constructed from welding gas cylinders, and a huge ball made of hot water heater tops that sits at the entrance to their property on Orange Grove Rd. They were also both interested in alternative medicine and natural remedies. Bill loved to share with his friends the latest 'miracle' alternative treatment such as arnica gel for inflammation or vanillin for dermatological conditions. Bill was a bit of a prankster, one of the family favorites was the chewing tobacco prank. When Bill's two youngest children were very young, Bill carried a chewing tobacco pouch that was empty of tobacco but full of raisins. He would 'pull a pinch' (a couple raisins) from the pouch and place a pinch in both of Louise and Harrison's mouths at opportune times, such as while standing in line at the grocery store. After the intended audience showed their shock, Bill would explain, and there would be laughs all around. Bill is survived by his siblings Henry Flinn, Margaret (Molly) Fox, and Anna James; his mother Mary (Sis); his children Emily (Lind) Lewis (from Lisa's first marriage to Leonard Lind), Louise Flinn, Harrison Flinn, and grandchildren Claire Lewis and Ellie Lewis. He is predeceased by father, Henry I Flinn Jr. A memorial service will be held on August 4th at 7 p.m. at Hillsborough Presbyterian Church. Instead of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to one of the following aging support service organizations: -Solty's Place, an adult day care center in Hillsborough, 105 Meadowlands Drive, Hillsborough, NC 27278 (https://soltysadultday.org/) -A Positive Approach to Care, a nationwide organization with a mission to enhance life and relationships of those living with brain change. (https://teepasnow.com/about/support-pac/)

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