Edward Lynch Obituary

Edward M. Lynch

Apr 17, 2023

Venice, FL

Edward "Ed" Lynch passed away peacefully Monday, April 17, 2023, in Venice, Florida, after an ongoing battle with heart disease.

Ed was born and raised in Bellevue. He raised his family in Catawba Island where he lived for 40 years. After being snowbirds for a decade, he and his wife, Leslie, retired full-time to Venice, Florida, where they lived until he died. After graduating from Bellevue High School, Ed attended Ohio University and enlisted in U.S. Marine Corps in 1964. While in the Marines, he graduated from the Defense Language Institute, trained as a Japanese Linguist. He served in Vietnam as a Signals Intelligence Analyst, earning Presidential Unit Citation, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Rifle Sharpshooter Badge.

After his tour in Vietnam, he was stationed in Kamiseya, Japan, where he finished out his military career. While celebrating the end of his military days with a trip back home to Ohio, he met the love of his life, Leslie. The first time he saw her, he asked her out and they were married a year later in 1971. The couple moved to Catawba and raised their two children, and many dogs, in their little red house in Wildwood. An avid outdoorsman, Ed fished (but never wanted a boat, "I'm not a boater!"), hunted (birds only, never deer "Deer are too big...."), and foraged (mushrooms from his long-gone secret spot, lucky stones from Lake Erie and shark's teeth from the Gulf).

When not doing any of the above, Ed could be found at one of young Kit or Kerrie's childhood activities. He never missed a game, tournament, parade or a recital, no matter how long (though not so secretly he often wished Kerrie's piece was played before intermission). Affectionately known as "Pops" to his five grandkids, he loved being a grandfather and was a complete pushover when it came to them. (Note: he was not a complete pushover when it came to Kit or Kerrie at the same age.)

After retiring full-time to Florida, he never wanted to be anywhere else other than the warm, balmy gulf coast of Venice. He loathed going back up north to the cold and when asked if anyone could bring him anything down south, certain he had to miss something, Ed would always say "Just a kind word and a smile." Above all, he loved his family and never needed anything else but them (except maybe the sun).

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Leslie (Wybensinger) Lynch; daughter, Kerrie (Jerome Schmeltz) Lynch; son, Christopher (Lisa Welch) Lynch; and beloved granchildren, Emma, Mary, Margot, Patrick, and Jean-Luc.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Irene (Monak) Lynch; and sister, Harriett (Lynch) Foos.

Ed's funeral and visitation will be Saturday, June 10, 2023, at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church, Port Clinton.

As a proud Marine, Ed was an avid supporter of Wounded Warrior Project, a charity providing services to military veterans. It's also where he did yoga regularly (yes, yoga!). If you'd like to donate in his honor, please go to www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate.

More details to follow.