Wednesday, June 30, 10:30 AM
Barbara Etoll Lynch, cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully Thursday, June 24, 2021. Born in Bryan, Ohio in December 1931, she grew up in Syracuse, New York and attended Syracuse University, where she met the love of her life, Tom, a dashing young Air Force student from Iowa. It was love at first sight. Within six months, they were wed, in April 1952. Following his overseas military tour, they started their family of six in Texas, then to Kansas, eventually settling in Edina, Minnesota in October 1962. Barbara lived her vocation of homemaker with gusto and unflagging devotion. An outstanding cook, she particularly loved preparing large Lebanese meals, reminding family and guests "This is the food that Christ ate!" A voracious reader of fiction, she was a well-known patron of the Edina Library, where she also loved to borrow paintings. Barbara loved music and was unstoppable at "Name That Tune." As a child, she played piano and violin. She adored singing alto in the church choir and Cecilian Singers at Our Lady of Grace for more than thirty years and played in the handbell choir. With two sons as barbershop singers, she became a stalwart fan of the local Great Northern Union men's chorus and attended 19 consecutive international contests. A pre-digital whiz, Barbara could program a VCR better than anyone, accounting for dozens of VHS tapes of "The Young and the Restless", the Olympic Games, and figure skating. She blacked out her calendar for March Madness, as she and Tom cheered on their beloved Syracuse Orange. Her three seconds of fame: Look closely for Barb as an extra in Prince's 2004 music video "Cinnamon Girl." To Barbara, family was everything. The most important thing she would ask you was, "So, how is your family?" and then inquire about each person in turn to get a full report. Indeed, she truly brought faith, love, and spirit to all. Barbara is survived by her beloved husband, Tom; brother, Ernest (Sheila); sister, Elizabeth; children, Mark, Jeff (Rita), Kevin, Kristin (Javier), Brian (Laura), and Maura (Lucinda); grandchildren, Patrick, Kerry (Joe), Kristin (Jonathan), Carl (Minou), Marianne, Adele (Beau), Tomás, John, and Katie; and great- grandchildren, Henry, Hazel, and Everly. Visitation will be Tuesday, June 29 at Gill Brothers Funeral Home, 5801 Lyndale Ave. So.) from 5-7 pm and one hour prior to Mass at church. Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, June 30, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 5071 Eden Ave. at 10:30 am. Live-stream link: Olgparish.org/mass/barbara-lynch. Burial will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, or the Our Lady of Grace School Endowment Fund.