Robert Anthony Lynch

Robert A. Lynch, 89, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on December 3. 2024. He was born on November 11, 1935, in Kimberly WI to his parents Howard and Marie (Spaay) Lynch.

Bob attended Holy Name school and graduated from Kimberly High School. He served in the United States Army in the Guided Missile Battalion and was stationed in Los Angeles, California. After the Army, he attended UW Madison and graduated from the Wisconsin School of Engineering. During that time, Bob married Bernice Barman on May 21, 1960. Bernice passed away in 2001. In the year 2008, Bob married Mary Williamsen Gear. Bob and Mary felt finding another love at this time in their lives was unexpected and wonderful.

After graduating, Bob was employed by IBM in Chicago and then transferred to Appleton and retired as a Sr. Support Engineer. Bob enjoyed writing poetry (he is even a published author), motorcycling, “puttering” with computers, walking, his children and grandchildren, volunteering at St. Vincent De Paul, St. Joseph Food Pantry, and life in general.

Bob is survived by his wife Mary, daughter Karen (Leroy) Dorn, sons: Tom (significant other Lu Shanklin) Lynch, Richard (Cheryl) Lynch, James (Kristi) Lynch, grandchildren: Eric Dorn, Bryan Dorn, Jodi Lynch, Anthony Lynch, Danielle (Lucas) Lynch, David (Isabella) Lynch, Adam Lynch, Connor Lynch, Nathan Lynch, Michelle Moderson, Ryan Shanklin; great-grandchild: Forrest Dorn; step-children: Laureen (Dennis) Sippel, Lynn (Dave) Parent, David (Frieda) Gear, William (Debra) Gear, Steven (Beth) Gear, and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Bernice, his siblings: James Lynch, Dolores Wallace, John “Jack” Lynch, Patricia Tziolas, Howard Lynch Jr., grandson Tom Lynch Jr., and stepson Bryan Gear.

There will be a funeral mass at St. Thomas More Catholic Church on December 11, 2024. Visitation will be from 9-11 am with a service time of 11am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Vincent De Paul or St. Joseph Food Pantry.

A poem written by Bob.

Hourglass

 Watch the tiny grains while dropping

Carry verses, as they fall..

Tumbling, tumbling, never stopping,

Nearly spent, beyond recall

 Our life’s poem is not completed,

But will come that final rhyme..

When our hourglass, now depleted,

Forms a cone of life and time.

 Then, the Author on our life poem

Will sign name.. lay down his pen..

As he calls us to our new home,

Where he’ll turn the hourglass again.

 Sand will join with sand of others,

Those whose hourglass emptied first..

All will be as sisters, brothers,

When the glass has been reversed.

 This new glass of life will never

Sift away through endless time..

For, with God, we’ll be forever,

Living in His loving rhyme.

And now, I lay me down to sleep, and trust that God, my soul will keep.