WILLIAM L. WHELAN

1934 - 2025

WHELAN, William L. William "Bill" Lawrence Whelan, of Falmouth, Massachusetts and Naples, Florida, passed away peacefully, after a brief illness, on January 20, 2025, with his family at his side. Bill was born on April 21, 1934 in Dorchester, MA, to Patrick and Bridget (Deehan) Whelan. Bill grew up in St. Mark's Parish, Dorchester and graduated from BC High School. He served in the United States Navy during the Korean War and was honorably discharged. Bill met the love of his life, Mary Mee in 1954 and married soon thereafter. After a time in Dorchester, they moved to Milton, Massachusetts, where they raised their three children. He was predeceased by his brothers, Thomas, Edward and George and his sister, Mary Johnson. He is survived by his wife, Mary, of Falmouth and Naples, Florida; and sons, Bill (Megan) of Boston and Orleans, Massachusetts; Jim (Susie) of Hyannisport and Delray Beach, Florida and Bob (Eileen) of Boston and Mashpee, Massachusetts. Bill leaves five grandchildren, to whom he was affectionately known as "Poppy", Mark and wife, Ashley, Derek and wife, Hannah, James, Christopher and Niki; one beloved great-grandchild, Penelope, also known as "the other Poppy"; dear family friend, Anne Coveney; and many nieces and nephews. Bill's life was an incredible journey, which included a partnership of close to 70 years with Mary. If Mary was the dreamer, Bill was the one whose determination and hard work made their dreams come true. Bill was an entrepreneur, running a newspaper distribution business and a small real estate investment and management business for many years, in addition to a career with the U.S. Postal Service, where he retired as a supervisor after 40 years. Bill and Mary sought the best educations and experiences for their kids, passing on to them the values of working hard, leveraging talents, respecting others and embracing new adventures. Perhaps most importantly, Bill instilled in his sons many lessons for navigating and enduring life with high energy, ambitious and accomplished wives. Bill and Mary traveled the world together, seemingly spending as much time on cruise ships at sea as on land later in life. He was as at-home in some of Europe's finest hotels and restaurants as he was grabbing a fish and chips outdoors on Cape Cod. Bill took a keen interest in the careers of his kids, their spouses and his grandkids, never failing to ask how business was going. He enjoyed immensely sharing in our many achievements and was a steady source of encouragement in the face of disappointment. Bill embraced a work hard/play hard approach to life. He got great satisfaction from a boating excursion around Hyannis with Jim, an evening of fine dining in Mashpee with Bob and a stroll down Main Street in Chatham with Bill's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Angus. He also appreciated the value of life's simple pleasures-, a round of golf in the Florida sunshine, a strong cup of black coffee, the morning paper (or three), an afternoon at the beach, a bike ride through the neighborhood and a dinner on the outdoor grill. He relished his weekly breakfast outings with his cherished men's group of friends at Naples Heritage, talking about sports and politics and all of the happenings, both in the world and at the club. He had an infectious sense of humor to his final days, which thankfully has been passed on to his sons. And he welcomed his daughters-in-law to the family with a generosity of spirit and genuine warmth that will be remembered with love always. Visiting Hours at Chapman Funeral Home, 475 Main Street, FALMOUTH, MA, on Saturday, January 25, from 9:00 - 10:45 am. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick Church, 511 Main Street, Falmouth, MA, on Saturday, January 25, at 11:00 am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation for the benefit of Falmouth Hospital.

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