Joe Lynch

Joe Lynch, a long-time Tiburon and Marin County resident, passed away on March 11 after a short illness. He was 86.

Joe was born in 1934 in Fairbury, Nebraska, to Dr. George Lynch and Emelda Toomey Lynch. He spent his boyhood years in Fairbury and in northern Kansas surrounded by a large and loving extended family.

Joe and his family moved to San Diego following World War II, where his dad was stationed after serving as a U.S. Navy surgeon in the Pacific theater during the war. When his dad was transferred to Oakland, Joe attended Castlemont High School, graduating in 1952. He followed his older brother, Mike, to Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., graduating with a business degree. Joe remained a lifelong Gonzaga fan and especially looked forward to tuning into Zags basketball telecasts. While at Gonzaga, Joe enlisted in the Army ROTC. After graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served as an artillery officer. Joe also served in the U.S. Army Reserves after leaving active duty.

Joe began his professional career in San Francisco at National Cash Register selling business machines, and then joined Merrill Lynch for a long and successful career as a broker and financial advisor, retiring in 2000.

Joe loved to travel and enjoyed countless adventures that took him around the globe throughout his life. In retirement, Joe literally cruised around the world, taking long excursions primarily on Crystal Cruises. Joe was also an avid golfer and enjoyed many rounds with his buddies at both Silverado Golf Club in Napa and Peacock Gap in San Rafael. Joe was well known and celebrated in his favorite haunts both in San Francisco and Marin County, including Sam’s, Perry’s and Marin Joe’s.

Joe was preceded in death by his brother Mike, his niece Megan Lynch, and by his long-time best friend Peter Clarke of Tiburon. He is survived by his nieces Kim Mallea (Michael) of Boise, Idaho, Molly Preston (James) of Spokane, Wash., Bridget Corbani (Alain) of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France; by his nephew Patrick Lynch (Suzanne) of Spokane, Wash.; by his sister-in-law Lorine Lynch, also of Spokane; and by many grandnieces and grandnephews.

Special thanks to Joe’s dear friends Mimi and the late Peter Clarke as well as Peter Ruero and Elaine Freedman for their decades of love and selfless support. Also, many thanks to the dedicated and caring staff at Aegis Living of Corte Madera, where Joe was a resident for the last 6 years. Their kindness is much appreciated.

Joe was a devout Roman Catholic and was a long-time member of St. Hilary Catholic Church. A funeral mass for Joe will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, at St. Hilary, 761 Hilary Dr. in Tiburon. Private inurnment will follow at a date to be determined at Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Gonzaga University Alumni Association in Joe’s name: Gonzaga University, 502 E. Boone Ave, Spokane, WA 99258.