Dr. Edward J. Lynch entered into rest on August 6, 2022, after a full and meaningful life of one hundred years. He was born in New York, NY, the son of Edward Lynch and Bertha (Lauterwald) Lynch.
He was predeceased by his wife, Anna (McCarthy) Lynch, to whom he was married for seventy-one years. Ed met Anna in a fortuitous moment in New York, where Anna had gone to be the maid of honor for her sister, who was marrying a soldier who was in need of a best man. Ed, who is a veteran and at the time was on active duty as a medic, was pressed into service for that role while at the USO; he met Anna and he was smitten. Several weeks later, he took a bus from New York to Taunton, presented himself to Anna's door and the rest is history. The moment was of great fortune for several reasons. Ed and Anna leave a legacy of a great family, and Ed would often say it was “all about family.” Beyond his own children, the children of Taunton became the beneficiaries of his move to this area. After discharge from the service, he attended Providence College, and upon graduation, became a teacher in the Taunton School system. He continued his own education, obtaining a Master's Degree, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies, and then a PhD in Education, all to utilize his own talent and to develop skills to serve the children of Taunton. He served in many different capacities with the Taunton School Department, including teacher, guidance counselor, Head of Guidance, Acting Headmaster of Taunton High School, and finally, Director of Pupil Personnel Services, and, in this last role, guided the Taunton School Department in the early stages of implementation of enhanced, comprehensive services for special needs students before he retired. He was a part time professor at Fisher College and Bridgewater State College, where he was offered a full time professorship, but declined, electing to stay and serve the children of Taunton. He also served as a Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational School Committee person, and served for a time as the chair of that committee. This service to children in Taunton also serves as his legacy.
He was very active in the former St Paul's parish in Taunton. He was a Eucharistic minister, member of the choir, and was engaged in many other church activities. He also volunteered his formidable writing skills to authoring a book entitled A Centennial Journey, St. Paul's Parish 1904-2004, which is a definitive history of one hundred years of the St Paul's church, and, by extension, provided significant historical context for other parishes in the diocese. He was a member of numerous civic organizations. His life in Taunton has left a positive imprint on the community at large.
He is survived by his daughter, Anna Marie Gay, of Taunton, his daughter Theresa Marie Moniz and her husband Lawrence of Raynham, three grandchildren, John A. Gay, Jennifer M. Moniz Carpenter, and Matthew J. Moniz, and three great grandchildren, Ashlyn, Aaron, and Michael. He was predeceased by his granddaughter Leah A. Gay and his son- in- law John Gay.
At the request of the family, all services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a children's charity of the donor's choice.
Arrangements are with the Silva Funeral Home of Taunton.
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