William R. "Billy" Bannon

William R. “Billy” Bannon, age 42, of Stoneham, passed away on January 21, 2026. He was born in Worcester on March 30, 1983 and was the son of Barbara Reid Bannon and Robert Bannon.

Billy was raised in Westborough and later moved to Cambridge, graduating from Cambridge Ringe and Latin with the class of 2001. He loved writing, photography, and all forms of art, always dreaming of becoming a published writer. He was a gifted writer and thoughtful provocateur, someone who loved ideas, language, and imagining what could be.

As a youngster, he worked in a magic shop and learned an incredible array of card tricks, honing his skills over the years, and delighting his customers at bars across the country. Billy had a rare ability to connect with people - making friends quickly wherever he went, leaving an impression that stayed long after the moment passed.

He loved music and, in recent years, had made a somewhat successful attempt to learn the ukulele. Billy lived a life defined by curiosity and travel, making his home in an astonishing number of states. His journeys took him to more places than can be listed – from San Diego to Portland Oregon; Asheville, North Carolina to Alta, Utah; Michigan to Stoneham.

Above all, Billy loved his family deeply. He also shared a once-in-a-lifetime love with Anya, marked by a special connection that brought him great joy. These loves, and the love of his friends, were the foundation of his life, steadying him through both light and difficult moments. He carried them with him wherever he went, even as he followed his dreams and continued to write, wonder, and imagine the world in his own way.

He is survived by his mother, Barbara Reid Bannon of Auburn, his father, Robert Bannon and his partner Barbara Lawrence of Brunswick, ME; his girlfriend, Anya vanBeuzekom of Stoneham; his brothers, John Bannon and his wife Karen of Portland, OR and Bryan Bannon and his wife Joy of Duxbury and their two children, Paige and Parker Bannon. Billy is also survived by many more family and too many friends to count.

His services will be held at the McDonald-Finnegan-Anderson Funeral Home, 322 Main St., Stoneham on Saturday, February 7 from 10am-12pm, with words of remembrance beginning at 10:30am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Billy’s name may be made to The Stoneham Coalition For A Safe and Healthy Community 501(c)(3).