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1938 - 2018

BORN

1938

DIED

2018

About

Ohio State University

William Flinn Obituary

Flinn, William
1938 - 2018
William "Bill" Flinn passed away peacefully at his home in Columbus, Ohio on the morning of June 9th surrounded by family. He was born on November 22, 1938 in Piqua, OH to Margorie Marie Flinn and Charles E. Flinn of Houston, OH. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, brother-in-law, William Barber and nephew Charles Barber. After graduating from Houston High School, he went on to earn a B.S. in Agricultural Economics (1960), an M.S. in Rural Sociology (1961) and a PhD in Rural Sociology (1966) all from The Ohio State University. He had a long and distinguished career as a Professor at The University of Wisconsin and The Ohio State University where he received numerous teaching and research awards among other distinctions and honorary positions including a Fulbright Lectureship at the National University in Bogota, Columbia, President of the Rural Sociological Society, Distinguished Rural Sociologist by the Rural Sociological Society, Alpha Gamma Rho Brother of the Century Award and Sigma Delta's Outstanding International Award and Outstanding Research Award. He became the President and Executive Director of the Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities in 1980 and remained in that position for over 20 years even though it was initially only supposed to be a short-term appointment. Under his leadership MUCIA enjoyed unprecedented international growth and success. Later in his career he returned to academics and his passion for teaching. He had a full and well lived life traveling the globe and making many friends along the way. He was dedicated to teaching and serving others with love and compassion and was an amazing story teller, the life of the party and a loyal friend and colleague.
Bill is survived by his wife of 52 years, Susan; two brothers Dick (Marla) and Gary (Susan) Flinn; sister Kathleen Barber; brother-in-law Glen Heller (Sandy); daughter Anne Clark and her husband Jim; son Jim Flinn and his wife Sara; five grandchildren Danny, Thomas, Johnny, William and Oliver along with nieces and nephews: Holly Flinn, Heidi McCabe (Tim), Victoria (Brian) McCurdy and Nick Flinn and their families; best friend Bob Caldwell and his family and honorary son Morgan Clark. Per his wishes, no formal services will be held but a celebration of his life at The Varsity Club will be announced at a later date. One last Bill Flinn party.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Columbus Dispatch from Jun. 10 to Jun. 11, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for William Flinn

Sponsored by The Columbus Dispatch.

14 Entries

Doug Southgate

June 4, 2023

Bill Flinn . . . absolutely unforgettable. And truly missed.

Melodie Fair

June 29, 2019

I was just sitting in my home in Alaska today thinking about Bill Flynn and Don McCloud and wondering what they are up to these days. I used to work for/with them at MUCIA at the Ohio State University. I'm saddened to see that Bill has passed on. He was a great leader for us; more than some of us even realized, as he was always working on something behind the scenes, something a secretary wasn't always aware of. He played a big role in some of the best years of my career and I knew he was a brilliant man. My condolences go to his family. I'm sorry that I am just now finding out about this a year late. I hope your hearts are mending from the loss.

Ed Singer

May 13, 2019

I didn't know. Here I am a year late. Bill was my PH.D. advisor (1977 -1982). On the day of the dissertation defense, Bill thought of everything: we met in his large office. He had me sit in his chair behind the desk. From their chairs (as if they were "students") around the desk, the members of the team asked questions. He wanted me to feel "in control." Bill did everything for me to launch me into what turned out to be a very satisfying teaching career in the social sciences at a community college.

Bill was kind, generous, caring, and fun. His students would enter his office with concerns and exit laughing and excited about getting back to work.

My deepest condolences to the family.

Beth Avila

July 1, 2018

Dear Susan, Anne, Jim and family: I send my deepest condolences during such a sad time. My heart goes out to each of you, and you'll be remembered in my prayers. I have such fond childhood memories with our dear next door neighbors that have lasted a lifetime, and I will be sending positive thoughts of strength and comfort your way. With love, Beth (Poffenbaugh) Avila

Bob Birkenholz

June 26, 2018

I am forever indebted to Bill for Chairing the search committee when I was hired to Chair the HCRD department in 2002. Dr. Flinn was a valued colleague and contributed to our department in so many unique ways. He and Susan were gracious hosts to many events in their home over a number of years. We are glad to be able to call him a valued colleague and friend. Best wishes to Susan and family in this time of loss.
Respectfully,
Bob and Pam Birkenholz

Sandy Shepler

June 22, 2018

My sympathy to all the Flinn family. He was definitely a special character. How appropriate to have one last party in his memory. Oh the stories. Sandy Shepler

Don McCloud

June 19, 2018

Bill Flinn was a great guy who with humility and humor accomplished many things. His family roots were deep and wide, and especially well reflected in his children, Anne and Jim, and beautiful wife, Susan. Bill's commitment to his graduate students knew no bounds. Hid academic work in the international arena ranged widely and was important. John Lombardi once noted that many academics have only one good research idea (reflected in a dissertation) in a career, but Bill generated idea upon new idea through his career in all its iterations. For a "farm boy" from Piqua, Bill did a lot of things and covered a lot of territory in one lifetime.

Bill and I met in 1977 as partners on a USAID consulting project. Almost immediately fast friends, I gave him my strong support when Ohio State nominated him for the MUCIA (Big Ten international consortium) executive director position. My first startled glimpse of Bill's audacity came in his interview for that position with the university presidents. One president challenged Bill "to make the consortium great," to which Bill calmly replied, "I can make this consortium great, but not if you keep sending your deadwood and fossils to consortium projects."

I believe that statement began a unique dialogue between Bill and the presidents that continued throughout his tenure. He received especially strong support from Stan Ikenberry (Illinois), John DiBiaggio (Michigan State), Jim Freedman (Iowa), and Nils Hasselmo (Minnesota) but also especially Ed Jennings and Gordon Gee (Ohio State). Board members also strongly supported Bill's leadership--Bry Kearl and Peter Dorner (Wisconsin), Duane Spriesterbach (Iowa), Mort Wier (Illinois) and Art Adams and Francille Firebaugh (Ohio State). Bill's intuitive sense of interacting with both presidents and board members--individuals and groups that could be very "prickly"--was masterful.

For me personally Bill was a friend, colleague, mentor and leader. We often discussed strategy at great length, and Bill's skill at finding "indirect routes" to reach goals was very skillful and almost always effective. He provided many learning opportunities and examples for me. No doubt, all will remember Bill's one-liner humor, which some days sent me home with sore ribs from laughing so hard! We also often worked in somewhat unusual settings--not infrequently we wrote letters, proposals or whatever on the Varsity Club's white paper placements, returning these draft documents to the office late in the afternoon.

Bill success as MUCIA executive director were numerous, but one accomplishment was foundational. Soon after taking over, Bill persuaded the presidents to drop the policy of working only with the Federal government. (Their view was "Federal staff understand us, and Federal funds are safe funds.") Bill's view was that "the world works on contracts, and, for the most part, those contracts are honored." Access to the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, other agencies and host country funding was at the heart of MUCIA's success in the 1980's and 1990's. Bill, Sid Stafford and I made a single trip through Asia signing nearly $150 million dollars in contracts--none with the Federal government. These were the peak years of MUCIA's success around the world, and Bill led it every step of the way.

The presidents moved the consortium to Michigan State in 2001, signaling a downgrading of the consortium's influence within the Big Ten university group. Bill, however, readily readjusted his focus to the College of Agriculture at Ohio State and continued to generate new ideas in international programs, teaching and research. I left Ohio State at that time, moving to Malaysia to direct its Fulbright program. For the following 6 years I had many opportunities to apply and test what I had learned from Bill. Although I had success in my work in Malaysia, I never felt I matched the intuitive leadership skills that Bill practiced--intuitively--every day!

It's time to say, "Bill, job well done, my friend. May you rest in peace always.

Don McCloud

Gale Wick

June 15, 2018

I will always remember our fun times as Classmates at Houston High School.
My condolences to his wife and surviving family members

June 14, 2018

Bill was a generous and steadfast friend to so many, certainly for us. Doug and Myriam

June 13, 2018

My deepest sympathies. May the "God of all comfort," help to ease the pain of your grief during this time.(1 Cor 1:3,4)

Wendy Michel

June 13, 2018

Bill was a great guy, I remember him from walking the halls of Ag Admin. May he rest in peace.

J and J Pilotta

June 11, 2018

We will always have the solace of laughs and joy with Bill and Susan over the years, You have been a special friend, Bill, and we have so much love for the two of you. Bill and Joe together made life so good and friendship so easy. Always, Judy and Joe P.

Bill and Suan 2005 trip to Toronto with Joe Judy

June 11, 2018

David Hansen

June 11, 2018

Bill was a true life long friend, colleague and mentor beginning at the University of Wisconsin and ending at The Ohio State University. He will be sorely missed by us. Our condolences and best wishes to Susan and other family members.

Dave & Aida Hansen

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