I’ll never forget Mick Lynch. True heart of gold. ❤️ He was our parish priest, our school’s high school principal at Bellevue Marquette Catholic High School, and served as our choir director. He also was my piano accompanist and helped me with every vocal music contest when I was in high school.
We shared a mutual love of music and he introduced me to the fantastic Cedar Rapids Follies which he loved performing in. He also took me to my very first Broadway musical, Les Miserables at Hancher Auditorium which got me completely hooked on a lifetime love of theatre.
Later, when John and I were engaged he joined us for another Les Miz show in Des Moines. I felt honored when he agreed to be a part of our special day & marry us.
I remember Mick as a man who loved to laugh, share his music, and take care of others. He was a kind, philanthropic individual, gifting our hometown community with the Marquette Education Center (MEC) as part of his lasting legacy.
Later in life he decided to leave the priesthood and married the love of his life, Lynda. I was thrilled for him that he could spend his golden years with someone who made him so very happy. He loved Lynda and embraced so many moments with her family and their grandchildren who he cared for very much.
We kept in touch over the years and I always looked forward to his yearly Christmas letters. I was thankful remembering the last conversation I had with him on the phone, where we talked for over 45 minutes sharing all our favorite musical memories over the years.
The world lost a good one in Mick when the Lord called this good and faithful servant home this past week.
I’m so happy that Mick has been reunited with his beloved wife and now sees the face of God.
Thank you for all the love & light you shared with so many during your time on earth.✨💛✨
Denise (Steines) Forney
August 10, 2024
Dear Lynda and Family,
The restricted culture of the pre-Vatican II Church in the mid to late 1950s called large numbers of candidates to the priesthood. One of the rallying points of the awareness of this call happened to be Dubuque, Iowa and Rohlman Hall.
No one can adequately explain what the confinement was like unless they lived on site. Thus it was when I first met Mick and we were together for eight years until declared a finely tuned finished product from Mt. St. Bernard Seminary.
It didn’t take long after our minting and shy introduction to the real world to overhaul our views of life, love, self, community, and destiny. Vatican II invited us to modify every assumption we lived by. Once-prized views began to crash and burn and we were challenged to redefine life at every level. Some classmates did better than others, but that’s another story….
In our many dialogues in Des Moines, Mick and I and others shared the moments of liberation and the agony of deep disappointment as earlier myths about human destiny fell apart.
Clearly. Mick came to life as you and his now-family gave both of you a sense of belonging that grounded you at a deep level.
Claudette and I recall sharing similar awakenings with you and Mick at the Loras 50 reunion in Dubuque.
For the moment, we pray that the artistry of the current funeral liturgy offers solace to you and to your family. It goes something like this: “The bonds of love that are forged during this lifetime are not destroyed by death —- they are merely transformed.”
I invite you to draw from that wisdom and continue to enjoy your sacred bond with Mick. You’ll know his presence. You will both continue to be transformed as you evolve to a new expression of this rich love that Divine love assures us, it knows no real limits.
PJ McDonald
Now, many yards and multiple experiences later, I recall fondly the many dialogues with Mick and fellow classmates about the painful and rewarding spinoffs of the Second Vatican Council in our lives.
Patrick (PJ) McDonald
August 9, 2024
My condolences to your whole family which I don’t doubt goes beyond the obvious. I knew this wonderful man as Papa Mick, my high school guidance counselor at LaSalle. He was so very good at this, advising me and my friends to make wise choices, and doing it with a great sense of humor. But he was so much more than that! He was beside us setting up theatre lighting and sound in the gym for the school musicals. He was a caring shoulder for a friend who quite suddenly lost her mother. And he became part of our large group of “the not so cool kids”, making us feel like we were important. I’ll never forget him coming to my party with all these kids at my parents’ house. He brought his video game and set it up for us to play: Pong!! Our first video game ever! Now that was cool. Thank you dear Lord for giving us Papa Mick. Welcome this generous and kind soul home to your loving arms.
Peggy (Hess) Saunders
August 9, 2024
Dear Lynda and family,
My sympathy to all of you at this time of Mick's death. I counted him as a friend and a brother priest during his years of ministry and a friend after leaving active ministry. He was a man of many talents who put those gifts into the service a fellow human beings out of his generous love. God grant him eternal rest. I shall offer a Mass for the repose of his soul in the next few days. Father Jim
James Louis Secora
August 5, 2024
Lynda’s family, you brought Mick so much joy & happiness! My thoughts & prayers are with you.
Take comfort in your memories and that they are together again.
Dawn
August 4, 2024
Lynda’s family, you brought Mick so much joy & happiness! My thoughts & prayers are with you.
Take comfort in your memories and that they are together again.
Dawn
August 4, 2024