David James Lynch

David James Lynch, 91, passed away on January 23, 2021, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane with family by his side. He was born on Sept. 12, 1929 in Dubuque, Iowa to Joseph and Agnes (Curtis) Lynch. He was 100% Irish and had the personality and twinkling blue eyes to prove it. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Clinton, Iowa in 1947 and entered the US Air Force in 1948 disposing of WWII ordinances in Alaska . After his military service, Dad began working for Pitney Bowes in Helena, Montana, then Seattle, Yakima, and finally Spokane. While working in Helena, he met and married Winifred Mergenthaler in 1952 and was blessed with six children. They bought their first home in 1955, a small 2- bedroom green cabin on Eloika Lake that is still in the family. He and Winnie raised the six kids with great love, dedication and caring in the house at 1070 Wall Street. We were fortunate that they provided us with such a great childhood. He taught his kids so many things about life - fixing things, working out problems, working hard, doing well in school, mind our manners, follow the rules, being strong-minded and confidemt. Then there were other less tangible things like the importance of being home together as a family, respecting our elders, helping those less fortunate, teamwork, sharing, being fair and always treating others as we would like to be treated ourselves. Dad took us on many summer vacations in the family station wagon with a travel trailer - to Iowa, California and the Oregon coast. We were so lucky growing up, having our summer weekends filled with family time at Eloika Lake. We got swimming, water skiing, fishing, frog hunting, mini-bike riding, wood hauling, beach fires, meals on the front porch overlooking the lake, and sleeping under the Milky Way. All the way, Dad was supplying the toys, tools and equipment to make that work for a family with six kids, cousins and friends. He asked Tom and Jerry to help him on many of his weekend or evening chores around the house and he’d ask us to help him for 15 minutes. We knew that it would be an hour but he taught us so much. Our 1070 home was a large house and kids would be spread out everywhere. Whenever Dad wanted the kids to assemble, he would either use his loud whistle, or say “Val, Les, Tom, Jer, Tam, Beck, come here!” and we would come running. He met his second wife, Dolores Whitesitt Hord and was blessed with a second, wonderful 25+ year marriage, bringing Dolores’ four sons into the family. D&D made their home at The Red Cabin, adjacent to the original green cabin on Eloika Lake. He and Dolores brought family and friends together through the Easter Egg hunts, Christmas Eve at the lake and the Grand P Float on the St. Joe River. Their home was a perfect place for the many grandkids that they helped to raise. David loved to fix things and “putter”, which was his manner of tinkering, inventing gadgets and making their home livable. He loved to shoot pool, golf, camp, raft, videograph, convert videos to DVDs, and collect stuff. Some of his best phrases showed his personality. When asked by someone if he had a tool or item they could borrow, he would reply “What color?”. When he had a grandkid around and he brought out a toy or tool that was perfect for the moment, he would say “Watch this” then disappear for a moment, then come back with something fun or exciting, just like a magician. When he came home from work and someone was sitting in his recliner, he’d say “I’ll trade you places”, to which we would reply that he didn’t have a place, and he would counter with “my point exactly”. Dolores and his six siblings all passed away before him, and he strongly forged on, pledging to live until 90, then 93, then 94, and he lived life fully and happily until 91. He is survived by his children: Valerie Lynch, Leslie (Rick) Lynch Gintz, Thomas (Kim) Joseph Lynch, Gerald Curtis (Melanie) Lynch, Tami Lynch Connall, Becky ( Bob) Lynch Schmidlkofer and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren from his blended families. David is also survived by Dolores’ sons Kerry (Annette) Hord, Kris (Kelly) Hord, Bud (Nola) Hord, Brian (Andrea) Hord, in-laws Sandie Whitesitt and Darrell and Mary Ann Whitesitt. He was well-taken care of and loved by the community at St Joseph’s Care Center and the family would like to thank them. A celebration of life will be held at a later date due to COVID restrictions.