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Laurence E. Lynn, Jr.

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Laurence Lynn, Jr. Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Jan. 9, 2023.

Laurence E. Lynn, Jr., passed away January 1, 2023 after a brief illness. He was born June 10, 1937 in Long Beach, CA to Laurence Sr., and Marjorie (Hart) Lynn. He earned an AB degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctoral degree in economics from Yale University.

Larry was the Sydney Stein, Jr. Professor of Public Management at the University of Chicago (emeritus since retiring in 2002), having served on the faculties of the Harris School of Public Policy and the School of Social Service Administration (SSA), where he was dean from 1983 to 1988. His other faculty affiliations during his academic career included the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, The George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and the Manchester (UK) Business School. During his academic career, Larry also served in various positions with public and nonprofit organizations, including the National Research Council, the World Bank, the Brookings Institution, and Chicago's Metropolitan Planning Council.

Larry spent nearly a decade in senior policy making positions in the U.S. federal government, including the Department of Defense, where he was deputy assistant secretary for resource analysis; the National Security Council, where he was director of program analysis; the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, where he was assistant secretary for planning and evaluation; and the Department of Interior, where he was assistant secretary for program development and budget. He was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry from 1964 to 1966.

For his public service, Larry received the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Medal and a Presidential Certificate of Distinguished Achievement, and in 1980, he was elected to the National Academy of Public Administration.

For lifetime contributions to public administration research and practice, he was selected as the John Gaus lecturer by the American Political Science Association, a recipient of the Dwight Waldo and Paul Van Riper awards by the American Society for Public Administration, the recipient of the inaugural H. George Frederickson award of the Public Management Research Association, and the Charles H. Levine Memorial Lecturer at American University.

In addition to his many scholarly publications, Larry published three poetry collections: Out of My Mind: Poems, Older Now, and It Takes A Lifetime.

Larry loved road trips in the family's Econoline van ("the Crimson Crusher"), loaded with his children and camping gear. The goal of one fondly remembered trip was riding every rollercoaster to be found from the east coast to the southwest. Moving on from Washington, DC to living in New Hampshire opened up much-loved opportunities for canoeing the rapids, skiing, and hiking the beautiful countryside.

Larry loved music, and learning to play the banjo became a lifetime commitment. Bluegrass was his passion, with country music a very close second. The City of Chicago was a special place and home, offering up endless joys-music, art, architecture, theater, sports, community, and education-especially watching his child perform in ballet and musical theater.

Traveling the world and finding a home for 22 years in the beautiful Andalusian village of San Pablo de Buceite, Spain, where he was embraced by la familia and welcomed into their home, was a treasure. There he enjoyed meeting and becoming friends with many of the wonderful folks in the village and especially feeling the joy when Spain won the World Cup in soccer, as well as sharing the veranda overlooking el campo, a precious tradition.

Always and for his lifetime, Larry cherished good food and good wine with family, friends, and colleagues.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Patricia (Ramsey), five children: Katherine Bell Lynn, Julia (Pepe) Coronado, Diana Lynn (Carl King), Daniel (Elizabeth) Lynn, and Steev (Reme Damasco) Lynn; nine grandchildren: Emelia Bell and Sami Bell Lynn, Camila and Marco Coronado, Dylan Coulter, Jesse and Hana Lynn, and Senou and Braxton Lynn; five great grandchildren, and his half-brother, Greg Lynn.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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Recent Activity

June 11, 2023

Betty Brown-Chappell posted to the memorial.

February 5, 2023

John Walgreen posted to the memorial.

January 12, 2023

Eddie Lawlor posted to the memorial.

4 Entries

Betty Brown-Chappell

June 11, 2023

To the family and friends. Larry looms large in my life. I learned to value my intellect and to have confidence in my ability to complete the rigors of the SSA doctoral program with his guidance. He eagerly read all aspects of my research and delighted in even the notes that gave more "flavor" about my subject, Harold Washington, and my interviewees. Together we made local and national news as I was his administration's Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Placement. He was certainly larger than life. Once I told him, "Larry having your undivided attention is like being in the sunshine." I treasure Pat who I saw as the most wonderful wife and mother; she never seemed to let anything get in the way of her good humor. Fare the well my boss, mentor and colleague.

John Walgreen

February 5, 2023

I worked with Larry in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1965 to 1967, when we were junior Army officers. Larry was a good colleague, smart and ambitious. Although we lost touch many years ago, I still recall our days as MacNamara Wizz Kids. I am so sorry to learn of his passing and offer my condolences to his family.

Eddie Lawlor

January 12, 2023

Larry was the single most important influence in my academic and professional life. From the time he hired me (off the street) at the Kennedy School in the 1970s to our long time together at the University of Chicago, Larry was a great mentor, collaborator, and friend. He opened up amazing lifetime opportunities for me, too many to list. He provided his always-rigorous feedback and advice.

It was never dull with Larry - he loved being provocative, challenging, and innovative.

His impact on the fields of public policy and public management was unparalleled. Coming out of his public service, including his crafting of the so-called "Mega Proposal" at HEW, he was an intellectual leader in both research and training in the nascent fields of public policy analysis and public management.

Larry was incredibly smart, productive, and influential. Kissinger called him the smartest person he ever met. His research and writing spanned an enormous range of intellectual and professional interests - from public policy case studies, to income maintenance and poverty, empirical approaches to public management, to leadership, and so many other productive areas of scholarship. (Later he turned his prodigious talent to poetry.) He trained and inspired countless students and colleagues.

He was also fun and had a life. Betsy and I were fortunate to experience Pat and Larry in their New Hampshire phase (taking care of their beloved husky Anton and skunk Chumpsie). They partied at our wedding. Later we also experienced such Lynn activities as New Year´s Eves in county music bars, canoeing the Kanakakee river, enjoying good food and drink. But most important was their friendship.

Although Larry´s cv-of-life is jaw-dropping, it still does not do justice to all of the impact and influence he had over such an interesting and robust career.

Thank you Larry for all you did for me and for the world. You were unique and amazing. One of the expressions you taught me, sui generis, describes you perfectly.

To Pat and the family, my deep appreciation and sympathy.

Ted Bogosian

January 9, 2023

Larry was a wonderful man: joyful, forgiving, brilliant and fiercely loyal. He was a wonderful mentor and boss, always supportive and tolerant. Without his guidance and wisdom, my life would have been so much more challenging to negotiate. I am eternally grateful for his gifts and hope that Pat and his family will accept my most sincere condolences. In my life, Larry was a hero. May he rest in eternal peace.