Lorine Lynch

1931 - 2019

Lorine Estelle Harris Lynch

2/13/1931 – 9/6/2019

Durham

Lorine Estelle Harris Lynch was born February 13, 1931 in Valhalla, New York to the late Estelle Bell Taylor. She departed this world September 6, 2019 surrounded by her loving family. She and her sister Jane were raised in Whitakers, NC by their loving grandparents Elizabeth and Daniel Carlisle, who cared for them so their mother could travel to work as a licensed practical nurse. Lorine attended Bricks Elementary School in Bricks, NC and Swift Creek High School in Battleboro, NC and was graduated from Phillips High School in Battleboro, NC. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Shaw University in Raleigh, NC where she was a member of the Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society and her Master of Education degree in Library Science Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Mrs. Lynch studied in the Graduate School of Education, Boston University, Boston, MA and the Graduate School of Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It was at Shaw University that Lorine met her husband the Reverend Lorenzo A. Lynch. Inseparable since college, they celebrated 65 years of marriage in June of 2019.

Lorine began her teaching career as the English teacher and dramatics director at Sampson High School, Clinton NC. She then became a librarian, serving as assistant librarian at Lincoln Jr. High in Greensboro NC, assistant librarian at Hillside High School in Durham, NC, librarian at Carr Jr. High School in Durham, NC and librarian at Holton Middle School in Durham, NC.

She was a member of the following organizations: NC Association of School Librarians, NC Library Association, Durham City Association of Educators, Southeastern Library Association, NC Association of Educators, National Education Association, Durham Interdenominational Alliance of Ministers Wives, and NC Association of Ministers Wives. At the time of her passing she was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church of Charlotte, NC.

She also taught and conducted vacation church schools, missionary classes and church schools in several congregations and was a church school teacher while a student at Shaw University. She gave addresses at high school commencements as well as for civic, church, and community groups; and served as chairperson of her Democratic Precinct in Greensboro, NC.

Lorine and Lorenzo Lynch were blessed with three children. Devoted to her family, Lorine stressed the importance of education, hard work and standing up for oneself. She practiced what she preached. Lorine described to her children one occasion when she and her husband were driving through eastern North Carolina during the Jim Crow era. Stopping to use a gas station restroom, she brushed off the attendant who sought to direct her to the "Colored" restroom, having decided in that moment that she would no longer accept that indignity. Absorbing her lesson of self-determination, her oldest son Lorenzo Augustus, Jr. went on to graduate from high school one year early and served as a U.S. Navy SEAL. Her middle child Loretta Elizabeth went on to graduate from Harvard College and Harvard Law School and served as the 83rd Attorney General of the United States. Her youngest son Leonzo Daniel went on to graduate from UNC Greensboro and Duke Divinity School and is the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church and the current President of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, Inc. They recall fondly one of her favorite sayings, "Whatever you do, do it well – even if it's digging a ditch." This favorite saying was only surpassed by the compliment she would bestow upon good work by telling them they were "using your head for more than a hat rack."

Lorine was preceded in death by her son Lorenzo Jr. Those left to celebrate her life include her devoted husband Rev. Lorenzo A. Lynch, Sr., her sister Jane Hudson and brother Albert Sealls, her daughter Loretta and son-in-law Stephen Hargrove, her son Leonzo and daughter-in-law NiCole Williams Lynch, her grandchildren Kia Absalom and Ryan Hargrove, several nieces, nephews and a host of other loving relatives and friends.

Services will be held Saturday September 14, 2019 at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 2020 West Sugar Creek Road, Charlotte NC. The family and viewing hour will be held from 10 – 11:45 am. Services will begin at noon. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that contributions be made in honor of Lorine Lynch to the American Lung Association at action.lung.org.