Barry Michael Flynn

Barry Michael FlynnBeloved husband and father Barry Flynn passed away Friday July 17th 2015 after a brave 4 year struggle with glioblastoma multiforme (brain cancer). His wife and young daughter were by his side as he slipped away. Born June 6 1946 in Newport, RI to Dave Flynn Jr and Mary Capochiano Flynn, Barry spent his early years living in Park Holm before the family relocated to Thames St in the 1950s to run the family grocery store "Cappy's Market. "Barry lost his father at age 8 and was taken under the wing of his paternal grandfather, Dr David Flynn. As a boy Barry enjoyed venturing out into Narragansett Bay in the boat his grandfather gave him and also going on day trips to Fall River with his grandfather. As a teenager Barry attended Rogers High School, graduating in 1964. He spent summers working at the Newport Ship Yard, which was once owned by his paternal grandmother's family. Barry attended Providence College and it was at PC that Barry first got involved in his chosen career - journalism, writing for the college newspaper The Cowl. After graduation he was hired by the Providence Journal as a reporter. In 1969 Barry was drafted into the US Army. He served two years in Anchorage, Alaska. During that time he worked as a military journalist and army DJ. In 1971 he returned to Rhode Island to resume his journalism career at the Providence Journal. He quickly distinguished himself as a hard nosed reporter who was not cowed by the powerful. He raised the ire of Newport police when he reported that patrol officers were observed napping late at night while on duty. He enraged the rarely photographed Newport heiress Doris Duke when he snapped her picture as she crossed a public street to tend to her historic home restoration efforts. Barry left the Journal in the mid 1970s when he won a Fulbright fellowship to travel to Japan. He was fascinated by Asian culture and stayed on in Japan after the end of the fellowship and worked as a broadcaster for an English language TV news show. He also traveled to Thailand where he worked as a freelance writer. Barry returned to RI in the 1980s to explore new opportunities on more familiar ground. He worked as a press aide for Julius C. Michaelson, a former RI attorney general who waged an unsuccessful campaign for US Senate as a Democrat in 1982. Soon after, Barry founded a free weekly shopper on Aquidneck Island called The Islander. He sold the paper in 1985 to the Newport Daily News. He left New England to join the staff of The Daily Press, where he covered the Newport News Shipyard and also the VA Legislature. In 1997 he joined the staff of the Orlando Sentinel where he covered business news, predominantly the banking industry. He left that job to work as editor of a business magazine in Daytona Beach. It was in Orlando that he met and married Lisa Runz. Barry cried tears of joy on learning that the couple was expecting a child. Charlotte Michelina was born in 2004. After Barry retired from journalism in 2008, the family moved to Newport, realizing a long held dream of Barry's - returning to his beloved hometown. Barry will be missed for many reasons but we hold countless memories in our hearts. Picnics at Cape Canaveral National Seashore and Brenton Point, adventures with the K Car, sailing on Lake Eustis, walks at Lake Davis and the Norman Bird Sanctuary, lazy mornings with the New York Times, lazy evenings at Second Beach, late night sushi on Orange Avenue, Springsteen concerts, racing home from Cranston-Calvert , and Barry's homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Lisa and Charlotte wish to thank Dr David Reardon, Clinical Director of Neuro Oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Maeve Dargush, NP, of Rhode Island Hospital's Cancer Center. Extra thanks to the staff at Newport Hospital Emergency Dept, who cared for Barry through seizures, falls and shunt complications. Finally we would like to thank the staff at VNS Hospice and also the staff at Heatherwood Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Both organizations helped Barry with special care as he approached end of life. Barry is preceded in death by his brother David E Flynn III, who was also a victim of GBM. Calling hours will be held on Sunday July 26, 2015 from 4-7pm in the Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway in Newport.Barry's funeral will be held on Monday July 27 at 9:00am in the funeral home, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am in St Joseph's Church Mann Avenue and Broadway in Newport.Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery Brown's Lane in Middletown.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to the Jimmy Fund 10 Brookline Place Brookline, Ma 02445 or to Visiting Nurse/Hospice of Newport and Bristol Counties 1184 East Main Road Portsmouth, RI 02871. Cemetery Details St. Columba's Catholic Cemetery Brown's Lane Middletown, RI, Visitation JUL 26. 04:00 PM - 07:00 PM Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway Newport, RI, US, 02840 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com Service JUL 27. 10:00 AM St. Josephs Church Mann Avenue at Broadway Newport, RI, US