Marion A. Lynch

Marion A. Lynch passed away peacefully on January 17, 2017 at the magnificent age of 98.  She has gone to join her beloved husband, Edward, the love of her life, who preceded her in 2013.

Born at home on Thanksgiving Day in 1918 in the middle of the Spanish Flu epidemic on Staten Island, NY in a rented house with an outhouse out back, she weighed just two pounds.  There were no clothes that would fit her so they wrapped her up and kept her warm near the oven.  One of the youngest of 14 where some siblings died before her birth and others in later childhood, she was a survivor from the word go.

From earliest childhood, she looked forward to excursions into Manhattan although she feared the strange escalators.  Weekend treats were seeing the matinee at the nearby cinema.  Later as a young teen, the roller rink was the place to be.  She showed an early talent for sewing and made her own dolls’ clothes.  Years later, she continued that talent making amazing Barbie doll clothes for her own daughter, including a full tuxedo for Ken with bow tie and cummerbund.  That sewing machine was rarely idle as she whipped out child’s party dresses, Halloween costumes (the parrot won a contest), and mother/daughter Christmas aprons.  Her talents were put to further use as Den Mother to her son’s Cub Scout den.  The basement was full of boys making projects.  And later as a helper to her daughter’s Campfire Girls group, she made a huge puppet theater and an array of intricate puppets and helped the girls make their own Campfire Girl puppets to put on a show.  Those skills kept on through the years as she lovingly embroidered Christmas stockings for her grandsons, Rob and Matthew, until eventually arthritis overtook those beautiful hands.

She’d written once that she wanted to be a dancer when she grew up “but that was just a dream.”  Dancing and music brought her such joy.  Dreams do come true though, some just take time – in her retirement years, she joined a line dancing club and they were so good, they performed at several venues.  There she was, on stage, doing what she loved.

Her other dream came true when she met her future husband, Edward, in an alley – a bowling alley that is (that’s always how Edward liked to tell the story with a big smile).  There’s was a 61 year love story, building a home and family.  She never learned to swim, ride a bike, or drive a car, and didn’t finish high school because she dropped out to care for her mom sickly with asthma.  So, as a parent, there was a pool in the yard, bikes in the garage and a strong focus on education in the house.  And then there was dessert.  Sorry health advocates – there was always dessert after dinner and those aromas were intoxicating.  No one, no one could make an apple or lemon meringue pie to match hers.  And that peach crisp, oh my!

But now, over three years apart, it’s time for these love birds to be reunited.  And Edward, who could fix anything, has surely been working on the perfect wings to welcome his beloved Marion.  They are together again, dancing on air.

Marion, Mom, Nana – we adore you!

Linda & Gary; Ed & Carol; Matthew; Rob, Amanda, Jeremy & Bryce

Interment at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Marion’s favorite charity -- The Alzheimer’s Association.   

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