Obituary for Thomas Virgil Lynch
Lynch, Thomas Virgil, previously of Edina, beloved husband, devoted father, proud grandfather and great-grandfather, generous colleague, and steadfast friend. On December 31, 2022 as God joined their hands together, Tom passed peacefully into new Life.
Born in1930 in New Hampton, Iowa, to Leo and Ellen (“Nellie”) Lynch, he was the fourth of six children who, for his classic Irish hair, affectionately nicknamed him “Red”. Tom’s deep Catholic faith took root at St. Joseph’s Parish where his devotion to daily Mass began while serving as an acolyte. A great student and terrific athlete, he graduated from New Hampton High School in 1948 as salutatorian of his class, and enrolled at Loras College in Dubuque.
A tireless worker, Tom held a variety of unusual summer jobs to pay for school, and he particularly loved recounting stories of building silos in the hot, muggy weather of the Dakotas and Montana. After considering seminary, the dawn of the Korean War signaled a different calling and he enlisted in the Air Force. His aptitude tests indicated a strength in languages (having already studied Greek and Latin) and he was sent to Syracuse University for its Russian language program. It was at Syracuse that he met Barbara Ann Etoll, a home economics major, and it was truly love at first sight. Over the years, Tom often enjoyed recounting the moment he learned that Barbara also was Roman Catholic. He walked back to his dormitory the evening after their first date exclaiming to himself, “I don’t even have to convert her!” Within a year he graduated with honors, and the following day “Foma” and “Varya” (their names in Russian) were married.
Soon, the Air Force sent him to Alaska, to the island of Adak on the Aleutian chain to monitor Russian military and weather radio. After leaving the Air Force Tom began a sales career in the silver, china, and cookware business in Texas and Kansas while he and Barbara were also raising three precocious sons. Transitioning into the life and health insurance industry brought a new opportunity and in 1962 Tom and Barbara made the intrepid decision to move to Minneapolis. The family grew to six children, and correspondingly so did his professional reputation. His focus evolved over the years into developing sophisticated planned giving and charitable trusts, reflecting his belief in St. Francis of Assisi’s statement, “For it is in giving that we receive.” In fact, his personalized automobile license plate consisted of the word: CHARITY.
Indeed, Tom Lynch’s generous giving of his time, talent, and treasure were manifest in his relationships with, among others, the Serra Club, the Our Lady of Grace Parish Council, the capital campaigns for OLG and Regina High School, and the Investment Committee of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. From1981-2016 he sat on the Clarke University Board of Trustees, serving as Board Chair from 2005-2010.
Tom’s chief delight was the family of six boisterous kids he and Barbara raised in Edina. A passionate lover of the English language, the dinner table was governed by his meticulous observance of correct grammar and vocabulary, with questionable word meanings adjudicated by his well-worn 1948 college dictionary. From Tom and Barbara’s shared example, the children learned love, respect, reverence, diligence, and readiness to hear God’s plan.
With Barbara, he loved to travel far and wide, including trips to Bolivia, Peru, Banff, Hawaii, as well as attending the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy. He made two memorable solo excursions to Russia. A lifelong student of World War II, he undertook his dream trip in winter 2005 journeying by himself on a 26-day excursion to the battlefields of the South Pacific islands. His most beloved place to travel, however, was barely three hours north of Edina, to the home that he and Barbara built on Upper Sylvan Lake in 1985. Here was a cherished refuge for mental and physical restoration, and he and Barbara loved nothing more than having family and friends “up to the lake” for long weekends all summers long. Tom also deeply believed in his own continuous spiritual renewal, and at The Glenn Hopkins, a faith-based senior community where he and Barbara both received such loving care, he continued to attend daily Mass even during his final weeks. A beautiful framed piece hanging in his living room recognizes his fifty years of retreats at the Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo, MN. During each retreat he would pen a short letter of reflection and encouragement to the siblings, every one of which began, even into their fortieth and fiftieth years, “Dear Children.” And throughout his later life, he would be sure to conclude his visits and phone calls with family members with a smile and the reminder, “Stay close to The Lord.”
Tom Lynch spent his life devotedly listening for God’s will. He is now as close to God as he had always prayed and believed, and he rests in reward and Divine peace.
Tom was preceded in death by his loving wife, Barbara, his parents, and all of his siblings (Merlin, Margaret, Jane, James, and Charles). He is survived by children Mark, Jeff (Rita), Kevin, Kristin (Javier), Brian (Laura), and Maura (Lucinda); grandchildren, Patrick, Kerry (Joe), Kristin (Jonathan), Carl (Minou), Marianne, Adele (Beau), Tomás, John, and Katie; and great-grandchildren, Henry, Hazel, Everly, and Ayla.
Visitation will be Sunday, January 22 at Gill Brothers Funeral Home, 5801 Lyndale Ave. S., from 2-5 pm and one hour prior to Mass at church. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, January 23, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church 5071 Eden Ave. at 11:00 am. (live-stream link: https://www.olgparish.org/mass/thomas-lynch)
Burial will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Clarke University, Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and the Our Lady of Grace School Endowment Fund.
www.GILLBROTHERS.com
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 612.861.6088
Born in1930 in New Hampton, Iowa, to Leo and Ellen (“Nellie”) Lynch, he was the fourth of six children who, for his classic Irish hair, affectionately nicknamed him “Red”. Tom’s deep Catholic faith took root at St. Joseph’s Parish where his devotion to daily Mass began while serving as an acolyte. A great student and terrific athlete, he graduated from New Hampton High School in 1948 as salutatorian of his class, and enrolled at Loras College in Dubuque.
A tireless worker, Tom held a variety of unusual summer jobs to pay for school, and he particularly loved recounting stories of building silos in the hot, muggy weather of the Dakotas and Montana. After considering seminary, the dawn of the Korean War signaled a different calling and he enlisted in the Air Force. His aptitude tests indicated a strength in languages (having already studied Greek and Latin) and he was sent to Syracuse University for its Russian language program. It was at Syracuse that he met Barbara Ann Etoll, a home economics major, and it was truly love at first sight. Over the years, Tom often enjoyed recounting the moment he learned that Barbara also was Roman Catholic. He walked back to his dormitory the evening after their first date exclaiming to himself, “I don’t even have to convert her!” Within a year he graduated with honors, and the following day “Foma” and “Varya” (their names in Russian) were married.
Soon, the Air Force sent him to Alaska, to the island of Adak on the Aleutian chain to monitor Russian military and weather radio. After leaving the Air Force Tom began a sales career in the silver, china, and cookware business in Texas and Kansas while he and Barbara were also raising three precocious sons. Transitioning into the life and health insurance industry brought a new opportunity and in 1962 Tom and Barbara made the intrepid decision to move to Minneapolis. The family grew to six children, and correspondingly so did his professional reputation. His focus evolved over the years into developing sophisticated planned giving and charitable trusts, reflecting his belief in St. Francis of Assisi’s statement, “For it is in giving that we receive.” In fact, his personalized automobile license plate consisted of the word: CHARITY.
Indeed, Tom Lynch’s generous giving of his time, talent, and treasure were manifest in his relationships with, among others, the Serra Club, the Our Lady of Grace Parish Council, the capital campaigns for OLG and Regina High School, and the Investment Committee of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. From1981-2016 he sat on the Clarke University Board of Trustees, serving as Board Chair from 2005-2010.
Tom’s chief delight was the family of six boisterous kids he and Barbara raised in Edina. A passionate lover of the English language, the dinner table was governed by his meticulous observance of correct grammar and vocabulary, with questionable word meanings adjudicated by his well-worn 1948 college dictionary. From Tom and Barbara’s shared example, the children learned love, respect, reverence, diligence, and readiness to hear God’s plan.
With Barbara, he loved to travel far and wide, including trips to Bolivia, Peru, Banff, Hawaii, as well as attending the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy. He made two memorable solo excursions to Russia. A lifelong student of World War II, he undertook his dream trip in winter 2005 journeying by himself on a 26-day excursion to the battlefields of the South Pacific islands. His most beloved place to travel, however, was barely three hours north of Edina, to the home that he and Barbara built on Upper Sylvan Lake in 1985. Here was a cherished refuge for mental and physical restoration, and he and Barbara loved nothing more than having family and friends “up to the lake” for long weekends all summers long. Tom also deeply believed in his own continuous spiritual renewal, and at The Glenn Hopkins, a faith-based senior community where he and Barbara both received such loving care, he continued to attend daily Mass even during his final weeks. A beautiful framed piece hanging in his living room recognizes his fifty years of retreats at the Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo, MN. During each retreat he would pen a short letter of reflection and encouragement to the siblings, every one of which began, even into their fortieth and fiftieth years, “Dear Children.” And throughout his later life, he would be sure to conclude his visits and phone calls with family members with a smile and the reminder, “Stay close to The Lord.”
Tom Lynch spent his life devotedly listening for God’s will. He is now as close to God as he had always prayed and believed, and he rests in reward and Divine peace.
Tom was preceded in death by his loving wife, Barbara, his parents, and all of his siblings (Merlin, Margaret, Jane, James, and Charles). He is survived by children Mark, Jeff (Rita), Kevin, Kristin (Javier), Brian (Laura), and Maura (Lucinda); grandchildren, Patrick, Kerry (Joe), Kristin (Jonathan), Carl (Minou), Marianne, Adele (Beau), Tomás, John, and Katie; and great-grandchildren, Henry, Hazel, Everly, and Ayla.
Visitation will be Sunday, January 22 at Gill Brothers Funeral Home, 5801 Lyndale Ave. S., from 2-5 pm and one hour prior to Mass at church. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, January 23, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church 5071 Eden Ave. at 11:00 am. (live-stream link: https://www.olgparish.org/mass/thomas-lynch)
Burial will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Clarke University, Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and the Our Lady of Grace School Endowment Fund.
www.GILLBROTHERS.com
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 612.861.6088