Wilfred Lynch

LYNCH, Wilfred (Tito) April 19, 1918 - April 7, 2008 Wilfred Lynch died last week at home in New Glarus, Wisconsin twelve days short of his ninetieth birthday following a protracted battle with cancer. He was a chemist, engineer, inventor, and a pioneer in the development of silicone rubber for use in medical engineering. Born Henry Arthur Wilfred Lynch in Ottawa, Canada, his parents were Henry (Harry) Arthur Lynch and Regina (Gene) Gareau Lynch. His father was chief engineer of fisheries for the Canadian Government and later with the United Nations following World War II. His paternal grandfather was David Lynch, the renowned maritime ship builder of Saint John, New Brunswick. Wilfred grew up in an atmosphere distinctly scientific, and it was natural that he showed a particular interest and aptitude for scientific studies throughout his school years. In 1940, he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from St. Patrick's College, University of Ottawa in chemistry. He graduated with honors and was class valedictorian. Wilfred was a veteran officer of the Canadian Armed Forces in WW II and in Canadian military intelligence developed a nighttime map reading device badly needed by the forces fighting overseas. He was also a registered civil engineer. Wilfred was articulate, personable, persuasive and good-looking. From the start of his career in a chemical plant, he was intensely interested in every aspect of plastics production. He dedicated his life to this field and worked in the industry through 2007 as President of Wilfred Lynch Associates, a consulting/scientific development company with a principal focus on medical implant devices. Clients included Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. While still in Canada, Wilfred married Swedish born Elsie Marjorie Sundberg and they had three children Karin (Ottawa, ON), Susan (Madison, WI) and Brian (Ellijay, GA) His Canadian heritage instilled a life long passion for skiing and canoeing. On one solo journey, he found himself lost for weeks on end in the wilds of Algonquin Park finally being found by the Algonquin tribe that gave him the gift of a birch bark canoe. After working in Quebec and Toronto, widowed with three young children, Wilfred followed his dream of pursuing a career in the land of post war opportunity, the United States. He landed a senior position in New Jersey at Boonton Molding, as Executive Engineer. On a weekend visit to see his cousin in New York City, Canadian journalist Charles Lynch, Wilfred fell for, and subsequently married his cousin's assistant, Candace Butterfield. They had two children, Christopher (South Deerfield, MA) and Bradley (Chicago, IL). Wilfred finally agreed to move to Racine, Wisconsin in 1954 after being pursued by Sven Moxness of Moxness Products (now Versa/Tek). He was responsible for all development and production in a business whose principal activity involved silicone rubber fabrication for the aerospace and atomic energy industries. He stayed with the company for fifteen years rising to the position of President, and saw the company grow ten-fold during his tenure. He left Moxness and founded Medical Engineering Corp. (Surgitek) in 1969. This medical device firm pioneered product for use in plastic surgery and urology, including implants for breasts, chin, ears, and nose. In the field of urology, the company developed the first silicone catheter, urethral stenting and stent recovery systems in addition to penile implants for the treatment of impotence. The company was sold to Bristol Myers Squibb in 1982. A person with a strong sense of social responsibility he volunteered his time to organizations like the YMCA, the Rotary Club and the Lions Club, and of his many awards and accolades, he was the recipient of the international John Hyatt Award for service to mankind in the field of plastics in 1982 from the Society of Plastics Engineers, an organization whose chapter he founded in Quebec, and who appointed him a "Plastic Pioneer". He also established a non-profit company in the 1980's to design and fabricate orphan implant devices for use in plastic surgery, primarily on children with unique physical deformities that would otherwise have no resource for surgical reconstruction. Mr. Lynch held over ten patents for medical devices, was the author of scores of scientific papers and had two books published by Van Nostrand Reinhold, "Implants: Reconstructing the Human Body", and the "Handbook of Silicone Rubber Fabrication". His wife Candace, five children, thirteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and his brother Francis Eugene Lynch of Ottawa survive him. A private memorial will be held by the family, and in lieu of flowers, condolences and tributes may be written to the Lynch Family at 703 Haslen Avenue, New Glarus, WI 53574. Donations can be made in memory of Wilfred Lynch to the University of Wisconsin Foundation, 1846 University Avenue, Madison WI 53726, where the family has established a fund to benefit research in Biomedical Engineering.