Geraldine “Gerry” Ruth Miltner Lynch

LYNCH, MILTNER, OSBURN, BAIR, CAMPBELL, BORNSTEIN, SLAUGHTER, CREGAN, MARVIN, EYNON, SPRINGMAN, KRALL, BROWN, HARGRAVE, GOLDSTEIN

Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 6/18/2021 at 15:20:13

Geraldine “Gerry” Ruth Miltner Lynch, 93, died Wednesday, June 2, 2021.
The family will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Iowa City. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Solon. A visitation will be from 4-6 PM on Monday, June 14, 2021 at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City with Rosary at 3:30 PM. For the safety of family and guests, please wear a mask if not vaccinated.

Memorials may be directed to the Jack and Gerry Lynch Memorial Fund which will be distributed by the family to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Iowa City, St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Solon, Solon Fire Department, and Care Initiative Hospice.

Gerry was born April 28, 1928 in Solon, the daughter of Francis William “Milt” and Margaret Mae (Osburn) Miltner. She was a 1945 graduate of Solon High School. A talented musician, Gerry went on to study two years at Marycrest College. On February 1, 1949, Gerry married Jack Edward Lynch at St. Mary’s Church, Solon.

During the Korean War, Gerry and her young family were stationed at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, TX. After the war, the family returned home to Iowa where Gerry and Jack worked side-by-side on the farm. Gerry was a long time, very keen organic vegetable and flower gardener and a seamstress/tailor for many years.

Gerry always gave her time and talent to many, including the auxiliaries of Solon Legion, multiple churches, Solon School Band and Booster. She was a member at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Iowa City, where she assisted with funeral luncheons, the prayer line and thoroughly enjoyed being part of the planning committee for the new church building. For many years, Gerry supported the work of the Maryknoll Sisters.

For Gerry, gardening was more than a hobby. While raising six children, Gerry ensured there were fruit and vegetables throughout the year, involving the family in canning, preserving and freezing the enormous yields from large gardens. She also baked fresh bread well into her 80s. She was known for her “rohliky”, sourdough bread and starter.

Her instrumental (organ, piano) and vocal talent was shared at many events. In addition, she played the accordion for many years. She loved playing basketball in high school and always watched her beloved Hawkeyes and Cubbies play with a passionate bias. Gerry and Jack loved going dancing, often frequenting the many dance halls of their time. They also greatly enjoyed playing cards by the hour with family and friends. Gerry had a love of reading and completing a daily crossword puzzle from which she retained an incredible amount of information. After their retirement, Gerry and Jack RV’d around the country and wintered in Port Aransas, Texas for 20 plus years.

Gerry spent 71 years with the love of her life, Jack, and was a dedicated wife and mother of six children.

The family would like to thank the incredible staff at Crestview, West Branch and Atrium Village, Hills!

Gerry is survived by her six children: Pam (Dan) Bair, Tom Lynch, Jack (Edie Campbell) Lynch, Polly (Mark) Bornstein, Peggy (Rick) Slaughter, Mike (Julie) Lynch; 13 grandchildren: Andrew (Beth) Bair, Jami (Mark) Cregan, Ted (Tasha) Marvin, JC (Morgan) Marvin, Dylan (Nick) Marvin, Peter (Suzy) Marvin, Jeremy (Erin) Lynch, Michal (Riley) Eynon-Lynch, Christina (Mitch) Springman, Ed (Chloe) Bornstein, Raelyn Slaughter, Joshua Lynch, Barbara Lynch; 15 great- grandchildren; sister Delores Krall; and sister(s)-in-law Virginia Miltner and Betty Brown.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jack; daughter-in-law, Garnet Lynch; brothers, Max and John Miltner; in- laws, James and Mary Irene Lynch-Hargrave; sisters-in-law, Mary Hargrave Goldstein and Bernice Miltner; and brothers-in-law, Russell Krall, Alexander “Spike” Hargrave and Orla Brown.

Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
 

Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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