Lynch, Donald E.

Donald E. Lynch, 83, of Marion, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at his home. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at St. Matthew Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids. The family will greet friends from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Marion. A vigil service will be held at 4 p.m. Interment: Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Don was born on Sept. 6, 1928, in Grundy Center, Iowa, the son of Edward and Minnie (Saathoff) Lynch. He was a graduate of OLVA High School in Waterloo, with the class of 1946. Don was a veteran of the Korean War. He served in the Army of Occupation in Germany from 1952 through 1954. Don received his BA in education from the University of Northern Iowa and a MA from the University of Iowa. He married Mary Burger on Aug. 18, 1951, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Waterloo.

Don retired in 1989 after 35 years of teaching in public schools, 28 of which he taught at Washington High School, in Cedar Rapids. He also spent 25 years as an adjunct faculty member at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Following his retirement, Don's love of teaching young people continued as he tutored and mentored students until October 2010.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Mary; children, Theresa (Bob) Jennings of Peoria, Ariz., Elizabeth (Cecil) Johnson of Tybee Island, Ga., Kevin (Becky) Lynch of Ulm, Mont., D. Edward (Delores) Lynch of Cedar Rapids, Mary Jo (Mike) Hoff of Maple Grove, Minn., Kathryn (Brian) Clemen of Hiawatha, John (Stacy) Lynch of Owatonna, Minn., and Donna Lynch of Golden, Colo.; seven grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; one step grandchild; three stepgreat-granddaughters; and two brothers, Dale (Velda) of Sumner, and William of Globe, Ariz.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Glenn; and one sister, Mary Ann Hebl.

Please sign the online guest book for Donald at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Jan. 10, 2012.