John Patrick Lynch

John Patrick Lynch

Native Texas, son, brother, nephew, cousin, husband, dad, and friend

October 2, 1954 – November 25, 2024

Psalm 90:10: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.”

Slightly over seventy years ago, a healthy, eight-pound baby boy was born on Saturday, October 2, 1954, in the Panhandle of Texas, to Homer and Johnnie Lynch. Pat was the second, and last child, added to this union. Homer and Johnnie appropriately named their new baby boy, John Patrick: “John”, after his maternal grandfather, ‘John B. Southern’- and “Patrick”, to honor the family’s Irish heritage.

John Patrick was about eight months old, when his dad, who worked for the Federal Agriculture Department, received a promotion, and the family was transferred to Henderson, a small town in NE Texas. It was a long, and arduous eight-hour journey, from the Texas Panhandle to East Texas, especially with a young infant, and an almost-four-year-old. After securing temporary housing, in Henderson, eventually, the family found a permanent home in the newly developed Pinedale Addition in Henderson- a neighborhood filled with newly built ranch-style homes, hovering pine trees, big yards, and young couples with children. It turned out to be a perfect place for this family.

Unfortunately, when Pat was about thirteen months old, he experienced his first asthma attack at his grandparent’s home, where the Southern family of aunts, uncles, and cousins had gathered to celebrate Christmas. The emergency room doctors assumed the attack was an allergic reaction to the cedar Christmas tree in the house- and that Pat would be fine once they returned home to East Texas- but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

After returning home, Pat’s asthma attacks continued and worsened over time- so much so that driving to the hospital emergency room in the middle of the night with a sick baby boy became a normal event for the family. Eventually, Pat was diagnosed with severe chronic bronchial asthma- a chronic condition that plagued Pat for the rest of his life.

The medications available to control Pat’s asthma, as a young child and teen in the 1950’s and 1960’s, were antiquated by today’s standards, and also came with terrible side effects- but at the time, they were the only drugs available. These drugs eventually played a big part in damaging Pat’s heart, bones, joints, esophagus, and other organs in adulthood.

Nonetheless, these drugs eventually offered Pat the opportunity, as a child, to play “free-range” with other kids in the neighborhood.

In the summer, Pat and his neighborhood friends spent endless hours riding bikes, roller skating, playing ‘jacks’ on the front porch, and more. Back in the 1950’s kids spent their summers outdoors: air-conditioned homes and cars were not the norm.

During the winter months, Pat would play for endless hours with his toy trucks and trains- he always seemed to have a truck in his little hands everywhere he went. The Pinedale neighborhood proved to be an idyllic setting where Pat could forget about his asthma for a while and experience the fun and innocence of childhood. He certainly deserved that relief during childhood.

Television was just becoming a staple in middle-class homes, and Pat loved watching “Captain Kangaroo”, the Disney “Mickey Mouse Club”, and more. Television was quickly becoming a new medium, for “children’s educational entertainment”. Pat soaked it all in.

In 1960, Pat attended ‘Mrs. Wright’s Private Kindergarten’ before starting first grade at Montgomery Elementary in 1961. Pat went on to attend Henderson Junior High (6th-9th grades) and was a member of Henderson High School’s “Class of ‘73”.

While attending HHS, Pat was a member of the award-winning HHS Marching Band, consisting of 100+ students- Pat excelled at playing the trombone- later, Pat learned to play the guitar and other instruments. While in the band, under the excellent direction of Jimmy Blackwell, Pat developed a deep knowledge and love of music.

Band also gave Pat a form of physical exercise that was good for his lungs: MARCHING. Pat marched miles and miles in multiple parades yearly: the annual Henderson Christmas parade, the annual Tyler Rose Festival parade, and the annual State Fair of Texas parade in Dallas. Pat also marched in the halftime shows during fall football season and in the UIL marching competitions each spring.

After high school, Pat briefly attended Kilgore College, and while attending school there he had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong with the Kilgore College Band and the World Famous Rangerettes. After performing in Hong Kong the students were allowed to linger for a while where they did a lot of sightseeing and shopping. Pat returned home with many beautiful items made of jade. It was a marvelous experience for Pat.

Pat later transferred to the University of North Texas in Denton with plans to major in music. While attending college in Denton, Pat met Sherry Ann George in 1978. On Sundays, Pat would rotate with several other male college students where they would preach at the Greenwood Church of Christ. During this time, while Sherry and Pat were dating, Sherry would often accompany Pat to the Greenwood Church for support. Pat and Sherry later married in the summer of 1981 and settled in Lubbock, Texas, where their only daughter, Lakisha Renee’ was born in 1982. Sherry and Pat were married for forty-three years.

Immediately after moving to Lubbock, Pat found employment with Bell Dairy in 1981 and with the Coca-Cola Company in 1983. Throughout his time in Lubbock, Pat was also employed by the Reliable Life Insurance Company from 1986-1987, Converges Call Center from 1999-2000, and the AT&T Call Center from 2000-2009.

Most recently, Pat was employed by Covenant Medical Center Valet Services from 2018-2024. Additionally, Pat preached at Northside Church of Christ in Levelland, Texas, from 2008-2014 and spoke at many lectureships throughout the years.

Early in life, Pat was inspired to become a faithful minister of God’s Words by his father who would share Bible stories with little Pat by his side. Pat, Sherry, and Kisha attended the Church of Christ at Manhattan Heights, where Pat remained a faithful member until his passing.

Although we understand spiritually and intellectually that death is inevitable, it is also extremely difficult, both physically and emotionally, to say goodbye to a brother, dad, husband, cousin, and friend. Each of us, though, is thankful that Pat is no longer struggling to survive.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints”, Psalm 116:15

John Patrick is survived by his wife Sherry Ann (George) Lynch of 43 years, his only daughter, Lakisha Renee, one sister, Kathleen, and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pat is preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Johnnie Lynch.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the many medical professionals- doctors, nurses, physical therapists, etc.- all who have lovingly attended to Pat’s medical needs and care over the years.

“Thy day has come, not gone; Thy sun has risen, not set; Thy life is now beyond- the reach of death or change. Not ended- but begun. O Noble Soul! O Gentle Heart; Hail and Farewell” – William Jennings Bryan

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