Col. Camille L. Lynch, U.S. Army Ret., died Sept. 12, 2014, surrounded by his family, at Pleasant Valley Nursing Care Center in Derry.
Col. Lynch was born Oct. 19, 1920 in Saugus, Mass., a son of the late Thomas Joseph and Madeleine (Pauline) Lynch.
He was raised and educated in Lowell, Mass., 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 Dec. 27 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and selected for Officers Candidate School. He received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on Dec. 23, 1942 and was assigned to the 41st Air Depot Group. His unit was sent to French Tunisia, North Africa and Italy (Naples-Foggia and Rome–Arno campaigns).
After World War II, he was in the Graves Registration Service, Africa/Middle East/European Zone program for the recovery and return of World War II dead. During the Cold War 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 U.S. Armed Forces. 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 military schools, including the Command and General Staff College at Leavenworth, Kansas. He also had Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees from New Hampshire College.
He was awarded the Army’s Legion of Merit Medal with two Oak Leaf clusters.
He retired on Sept. 1, 1975 at the rank of Colonel.
He was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 662 of Lowell, Mass.
He loved black and white photography and enjoyed darkroom photo developing. After retirement, he enjoyed home improvement projects. He also loved country music and The Lawrence Welk Show. He was a former altar boy, and was a founding member and longtime greeter at St. Mark the Evangelist Church of Londonderry.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Mary (Yang) Lynch of Londonderry; his sons, Michael C. Lynch of Dracut, Mass.; Joseph T. Lynch and his wife, Tammy, of Belmont, Mass., and two grandsons, Philip and Christopher; Richard L. Lynch and his wife, Christine, of Shrewsbury, Mass.; and Lawrence C. Lynch of Londonderry; his daughter, Anna Maria Martin of Summerville, S.C.; his brother, George P. Lynch and his wife, Rita, of Florida; his sister, Madeleine Donnelly and her husband, Thomas, of Chelmsford, Mass/; his sister-in-law, Mary E. Lynch of Lowell, Mass.; his brother-in-law, Donald Connelly of Leominster, Mass.; sisters-in-law Anna Pellerin and Lucille Liang of California; brother-in-law, David Yang and his wife, Yu, of California; many nieces and nephews; and his dog, Evee. He was predeceased by three siblings, Thomas and Peter Lynch and Lorraine Connelly; a sister-in-law, Florence Lynch; and brothers-in-law Bob Pellerin and John Liang.
Calling hours were held Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium,15 Birch St., Derry. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. at St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, 1 South Road, Londonderry. Burial will be Thursday, Sept. 18, at 2 p.m. at St. Patrick Cemetery in Lowell, Mass.
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. To send a condolence or for more information, visit www.peabodyfuneralhome.com.