Francis A. Flyer’ Santos 100, died peacefully at home on Sunday, April 5th. He was the husband of the late Irene (Maille) Santos.
Born in Provincetown, the son of Joseph P. and Madeline (Santos) Santos, he was a graduate of Provincetown High School. He was a custom boat designer and master builder, owning Flyers Boat Yard for over 70 years.
Flyer was a native son of Provincetown, and proudly served the town in many different capacities, both public and private over the years. He served on the Board of Selectman in the 1950’s, and lent his time and talent to numerous other town committees. In 1950, he founded the West End Racing Club to ‘give kids an opportunity to learn how to sail and enrich their lives with nautical experience’. He taught scores of youngsters the love of sailing and the sea over the years. His master boat building skills are on display at the Provincetown Public Library where a half-scale model of the fishing schooner, Rose Dorothea, winner of the 1907 Lipton Cup, is the buildings second floor centerpiece. His contribution to the towns fishing fleet over the years has been enormous. He has either built or repaired a large number of Provincetown’s boats.
Mr. Santos was a member of St Peter the Apostle Church, and both the Walter Welsh Council and 4th Degree Assembly, Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the Provincetown Lion's Club.
Sons James Santos, John Santos and his wife Lory, both of Provincetown and Arthur Joseph Santos and his wife Meagan of Truro, along with daughters Janet Greenquist and her husband Alfred of San Jose CA, and Dorothea M. Santos of East Greenwich RI survive him. Fourteen Grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren also survive him. He was predeceased by a daughter, Patricia Nicholson of Harwich.
Family and friends are invited to call at the Gately Funeral Home, 94 Harry Kemp Way, Provincetown on Thursday, April 9th from 4 to 7 pm. A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, April 10th at 10:00 am at St. Peter the Apostle Church, Prince St., Provincetown. Burial will be in St. Peter Cemetery.
If desired, donations in Flyer's memory may be made to the West End Racing Club, 94 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657 or the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 11 Prince St, Provincetown MA 02657.