Bruce Lynn

Bruce Newton Lynn

A Memorial Service celebrating the life of Bruce Newton Lynn, age 91, will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, October 3rd, 2016 in the Chapel at First Presbyterian Church, Shreveport, LA followed by a reception in the parlor. Officiating will be Rev. James A. Van Hook and Rev. Thomas Christian Currie. Mr. Lynn passed away on Wednesday September 28, 2016.

Born on March 25, 1925 in the family home in Gilliam, Mr. Lynn lived most of his life there on the Lynn Plantation, often riding his horse to Belcher School where he attended first grade through high school graduation. He attended Texas A&M and then Louisiana State University until enlisting in the United States Marine Corps to serve in the Pacific Theatre in WWII. Upon returning home from the war, Mr. Lynn took over the management of the Lynn Plantation in Gilliam. He married Margaret Eugenia Johnson of Doyline in 1949 and they enjoyed a very interesting life for 65 years.

Mr. Lynn served in numerous leadership roles throughout his life in his church, his community, his state, his industry and his country. He served as a deacon and later as an elder of his beloved Belcher Presbyterian Church and he also taught Sunday School and filled pulpits of various churches on occasion. He served his community on the local School Board, on the Board of Directors of North Caddo Memorial Hospital, as President of the Belcher Lions Club, as a 32nd Degree Mason and Shriner. He led the Louisiana Arthritis Foundation, was a Chairman of the United Way and was on the board of Evergreen Children's Home. Mr. Lynn was devoted to farming and the cotton industry serving as President of Caddo Parish Farm Bureau, President of the Gilliam Gin Company, as President of the Louisiana Cotton Producers and President of The National Cotton Council of America.

In the middle of his life Mr. Lynn traded in his khakis and boots for a suit and began work at Louisiana Bank and Trust as one of the Vice Presidents. He also was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives for District #1 of Caddo Parish serving on and chairing many legislative committees. In 1988 he was appointed to serve as the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections which provided numerous opportunities to lead and influence. Mr. Lynn remained active in his retirement season farming and caring for his yard. He and Margaret traveled here and there, going annually to see his daughter and her family in California, often driving. He and Margaret moved to the Glen in 2010 where they made many new friends and participated in many of the community's activities. Mr. Lynn is preceded in death by his wife Margaret Eugenia Johnson Lynn, his father James Wiley Lynn, his mother Irene Bruce Lynn, his sisters Mattie Louise Lynn Wilcox and Fannie Bell Lynn Connell, his brother James Wiley Lynn, Jr. and his grandson Ross Alexander Lynn. He is survived by his son Bruce N. Lynn, Jr. and his daughter Pamela Lynn Broesamle and husband, Peter, grandchildren Bruce Newton Lynn, III and wife, Kristy, Lesley Lynn Johnson and husband, Jeremy, Margaret Lynn Broesamle Ingram and husband, Eric, Christopher Donal Broesamle, seven great-grandchildren, his brother Jasper Newton Lynn and wife, Donna, and numerous nieces and nephews and special friend, Peggy Newell. He will be greatly missed by all. The family would also like to thank the staff and caregivers at The Glen. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to the Ross Lynn Foundation at P. O. Box 905, Ruston LA, 71273, Evergreen Life Services at 2101 Highway 80, Haughton LA, 71037, or a charity of the donor's choice.