William Andrew Flierl

William Andrew Flierl of Port Washington, a devoted husband, deeply proud father and grandfather, died Sept. 10, 2026, in the house he loved and the city he never left. He was 85.

  He was “Papa” to three grandchildren, “Uncle Willie” to a score of nieces and nephews and “Dad” to his two children, Katy and Tom, who he came to especially rely upon in the years after the unexpected 2021 death of his beloved wife Ann (Gryga) Flierl.

  The two, married in 1967, were deeply in love and devoted to each other, each a source of strength when the other needed it most. They had followed similar paths in life, from St. Mary Catholic Church to the parish school to Port Washington High School but did not start dating until years later.

  William Flierl was born on July 16, 1941, (the first baby born in the new St. Alphonsus Hospital) to Theodore and Isabelle (Mueller) Flierl and fondly remembered a childhood of roaming through Port Washington on adventures with friends and family. He loved to tell the story of how his mother let him quit piano lessons because he wanted to play baseball.

  In truth, he could play music by ear and years later would sit at the piano bench and engage visiting family in singalongs or stop to play classic songs for the residents at Heritage Nursing Home and Harbor Village when his mother lived there.

  He developed a love of cars while working as a boy alongside his father at the filling station on Spring Street. He had a special affinity for British sports cars.

  After graduating from high school in 1959, he went to work and soon joined the Army, spending several years stationed in Germany.

After the service, it was back to work, with most of his years spent as a purchasing agent for Stainless Foundry & Engineering in Milwaukee, a position he left after nearly 30 years.

  In retirement, he loved jaunts to the hardware store, bank and drug store, pulling cashiers and clerks into conversations about anything and everything. Everyone, it seemed, was a friend.

  If he was home, there was a good chance a game was on, especially if it was the Chicago Cubs, Green Bay Packers, Marquette Warriors or Michigan State Spartans. The change of seasons was marked by the team flag flying outside the garage.

  He could rattle off Cubs trivia, the product of a lifetime fandom that began when visiting cousins in Morton Grove, Ill., and taking the streetcar to games. Genuine Wrigley Field ivy covered the wall of his garage.

  He loved to read mysteries mostly and used the internet to turn up recordings and videos of the music and TV shows of his youth. (At family meals, there was a traditional “Hi-Ho-Silver and Away” routine that would leave him and the grandkids giggling behind napkins pulled over their faces Lone Ranger style.)

  Those are the memories his family and friends will hold most dear.

  He is survived by a daughter Kathryn Borowski (Greg) and son Thomas Flierl (Jennifer), as well as three grandchildren he loved dearly: Annaliese Borowski, Audrey Flierl and George Flierl. He is also survived by a brother, John (Pat) Flierl; a sister-in-law, Mary Flierl; and a host of nieces and nephews and their families, as well as cousins and extended family.

  Flierl was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Ann Flierl, as well as his parents Theodore and Isabelle Flierl and his older brother Ted.

A private Mass will be held for the family. He will be buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Port Washington with military honors.

Eernisse Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Online condolences may be left at www.eernissefuneralhome.com.