61.0°,
Mostly Cloudy John T. Lynch
John T. Lynch, 95, of Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. and before that, Rockville Centre, died peacefully on Jan. 28 at Lower Cape Fear Hospice & Life Care Center in Wilmington, N.C. with his family by his side.
John Thomas Lynch’s journey began on July 23, 1915 in Brooklyn. He grew up on Coney Island Avenue, attended Holy Innocents Grammar School, St. Michael’s H.S. and Fordham University.
As a teenager, John’s passion for stickball and baseball landed him a job as a ticket-taker at Ebbet’s Field where his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers played. Oh, how he loved those Dodgers and, oh, how devastated he was when they moved to Los Angeles.
When World War II broke out, he enlisted in the U.S. Army where he proudly served his country for four years, from 1941-45 as a Master Sergeant.
On Aug. 1, 1942 (another “day of infamy”) John had the good sense and good taste to marry Dorothy (nee Bertrand) — a beautiful woman with twinkling blue eyes, the brightest of all smiles and a personality that lit up a room. Their family began in Richmond, Va. during the war and they subsequently moved back to Brooklyn and then on to Rockville Centre in 1961.
After the war, John worked as an agent for the Internal Revenue Service in Manhattan for 39 years. At one point during his career, he successfully helped both Joe DiMaggio and Guy Lombardo with tax concerns.
An avid sports fan, John was a “man for all seasons” — baseball, football and hockey. In addition to being an ardent Brooklyn Dodgers fan, he was also a loyal fan of the Mets, Jets and Islanders.
He and his bride were also dedicated volunteers at Mercy Medical Center volunteering their services every week for 42 years. For their outstanding dedication, the Lynches received Mercy’s “Volunteer of the Year” award in 2001.
In the final 2 1/2 years of his life, John moved to Ocean Isle Beach where he loved being with his family, sitting in the warmth of the sun under the blue skies of Carolina, breathing in the balmy ocean breezes and going for endless car rides here, there and everywhere.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Feb. 4 at St. Agnes Cathedral. A military service with taps and the presentation of the American flag was conducted at the grave site at St. John’s Cemetery in Middle Village where John was buried with his beloved wife.
In appreciation of all the support, guidance and comfort provided by hospice, the family kindly requests that any donations be made in memory of John T. Lynch to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401.
