William M. DeSantis, Sr.

William M. DeSantis, Sr., 60, of Lawrence, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, July 1, 2021, in the comfort of his home. He was the beloved husband of Catherine (Twomey) DeSantis, sharing forty-one wonderful years in marriage.

Born and raised in Methuen, the son of Marie (Landolf) DeSantis and the late Albert L. DeSantis, William graduated from Methuen High School. Talented with mechanical things, he began working and developing his skills early on. He enjoyed a long career as a machine mechanic, retiring from Pfizer as a Senior Mechanic Advisor.

At the age of eighteen, William first met his sweetheart Catherine, and they were married in 1980. Together they created a loving and comfortable home for their children, family, and friends. Always one to keep busy, William had a passion for cars and could lose himself in car repair and build projects. He loved to teach his children all he could about cars, eager to share with them his knowledge. Although, it is more likely that he saw this as an opportunity to spend time with each of them. Family after all was the most important part of his life.

Social by nature, William loved to have family and friends over more often than not. It was quite frequent that he would call a “special family meeting” during these gatherings. Those few moments were special to him. An avid sports fan, he was a season ticket holder for both the Red Sox and Patriots. He was very proud of his children and of their accomplishments.

In addition to his wife, William is survived by his children, William M. DeSantis, Jr. and his wife Carolyn of Exeter, NH, Stephanie DeSantis and her partner Michael Haught of Lawrence, MA, Jennifer DeSantis and her fiance Maximo Serrano of Methuen, MA, Kelly DeSantis of Lawrence, MA; grandchildren Christian, Troy, Leigha, Brynn, Tyrell, Dominic, Aleigha, Aria, Riley, Gracie, and Gabriella; great-grandson, Kevin; siblings, Theresa Lindner and her husband Thomas of Derry, NH, Kenneth DeSantis and his wife Donna of Hudson, NH, Michael DeSantis and his wife Lori of Sandown, NH, and Stephen DeSantis; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, consider donations in William’s name to the National Brain Cancer Society at https://braintumor.org/.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visitation from 9:00-11:00 AM on Thursday, July 8, 2021, at Cataudella Funeral Home, 126 Pleasant Valley Street, Methuen, MA. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM in the funeral home chapel.