Col. Camille L. Lynch, (U.S. Army Ret.) died Friday, September 12, 2014, surrounded by his loving family at Pleasant Valley Nursing Care Center in Derry.
Col. Lynch was born October 19, 1920 in Saugus, MA and was a son of the late Thomas Joseph and Madeleine (Pauline) Lynch. He was raised and educated in Lowell, MA, and was a graduate of Lowell High School, Class of `38. He was an Assistant Leader in the 191st Civilian Conservation Corps. Company at Camp Moscow, Waterbury, VT. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, on 27 December 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army. After basic training he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and subsequently selected for Officer’s Candidate School. He received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on 23 December 1942 and assigned to the 41st Air Depot Group. His unit was sent to French Tunisia, North Africa and subsequently to Italy (Naples-Foggia and Rome –Arno campaigns). After WWII, he was in the Graves Registration Service, Africa/Middle East/European Zone program for the recovery and return of WWII dead. During the “cold war” period he was stationed in Metz/Verdun, France and in Worms and Frankfort, Germany, during the re-establishment of the Communication Zone in those two countries. He was a Battalion Commander in the 3rd Armored Division during the Berlin Crisis. Upon his reassignment to the United States, he was assigned to the Office of Personnel Operation.
He was assigned to the Military Assistance Group in Vietnam during the French Armed Forces withdrawal and the assumptions by the United States Armed Forces. Later, on a tour to the Far East he was assistant Chief of Staff, G-4, MAAG-ROC in the Republic of China following the Taiwan Strait Incident. He had numerous assignments in the U.S. and was a graduate of many military schools, including the Command and General Staff College at Leavenworth, KS. He also had a BA and MBA from New Hampshire College. Among his many decorations, he was awarded the Army’s Legion of Merit Medal with two Oak Leaf clusters. He retired on 1 September, 1975 having attained the rank of Colonel. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post 662 of Lowell, MA.
Col. Lynch loved black & white photography and enjoyed darkroom photo developing. After retirement, he enjoyed home improvement projects and was very handy. He also loved country music and The Lawrence Welk Show. He was a former altar boy, a founding member and longtime greeter at St. Mark the Evangelist Church of Londonderry. Col. Lynch will forever be remembered as a thoughtful, considerate gentleman and loving family man.
Members of his family include his wife of 38 years, Mary (Yang) Lynch of Londonderry; his sons, Michael C. Lynch of Dracut, MA, Joseph T. Lynch and his wife Tammy of Belmont, MA and two grandsons, Philip and Christopher; Richard L. Lynch and his wife Christine of Shrewsbury, MA and Lawrence C. Lynch of Londonderry, NH; his daughter, Anna Maria (Lynch) Martin of Summerville, SC; his brother, George P. Lynch and his wife, Rita of Florida; his sister, Madeleine (Lynch) Donnelly and her husband, Thomas of Chelmsford, MA; his sister-in-law, Mary E Lynch of Lowell, his brother-in-law, Donald Connelly of Leominster; sisters-in-law, Anna Pellerin and Lucille Liang of CA; brother-in-law, David Yang and his wife Yu of CA and many nieces and nephews as well as his beloved dog Evee. He was predeceased by three siblings, Thomas and Peter Lynch; sister Lorraine Connelly; also his sister-in-law Florence Lynch and brothers-in-law, Bob Pellerin and John Liang.
Calling hours will be held Wednesday, September 17, 2014 from 4 to 8pm at the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium,15 Birch St., Derry, NH. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, September 18 at 11am at St. Mark The Evangelist Parish, 1 South Rd. in Londonderry and Burial will be Thursday, at 2pm at St. Patrick Cemetery in Lowell, MA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Mark’s Charity Fund, St. Mark The Evangelist Church, 1 South Road, Londonderry, NH 03053.