Melva Ann Lynch Howell

Melva Ann Lynch

HOWELL

Melva was born to James F. Lynch and Elsie Peterson Lynch in the Elko General Hospital in Elko, NV on October 9, 1936. She was educated in the Elko schools and graduated from Elko County High School in 1953. She then attended Westminister College in Salt Lake City, graduating in 1958.

Upon receiving her teaching credentials from UNR she accepted a position teaching in Yerington. Later she transferred to the Washoe County School District and taught in Verdi and at Jessie Beck Elementary School in Reno. Teaching almost every grade level from high school, where she started, to first grade, Melva's favorite grades to teach were third and fourth. While teaching, she headed the Ocean Project for the school district and helped it grow into part of every elementary school. She also helped develop and support Science Fair in the state. She retired from teaching in 1997. Her work after retirement from Washoe County School District included mentoring student teachers who were in their last semester of education.

Melva was a member of many educational associations and volunteered whenever help was needed. She was an integral part of Delta Kappa Gamma, a teachers' honorary association. Her responsibility each year was to find university or college students that needed financial help and to give them scholarships from the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She was also the membership chairman, secretary and treasurer of the American Association of University Women of Sparks. Her work in the Washoe Retired Education Association brought in much funding for scholarships from the Jerry Mason Memorial golf tournament each year for students in education. She was a delegate to the National State Education Assembly and attended the national convention in Washington D.C. several times. She was working on her greatest passion, the Mentoring project for the NSEA, to help new teachers get started in the classroom. She will be remembered by these students for her loving help and suggestions of how to be a better teacher in the classroom. Melva also enjoyed working with the Wilbur D. May Museum.

She helped many families and children grow up not only through her teaching but by weaving herself into the lives of their families. Many of these young people would always look to her for advice and celebrate their lives with her.

She is survived by brothers John W. (Bill) Lynch of Sacramento, CA and Robert M. (Bob) Lynch of Reno; step-daughter Nancy Etchemendy; several nieces and nephews; and one great-nephew. She was preceded in death by brother James F. Lynch Jr.

A memorial service will be held on January 7 at 5 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Reno. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Washoe Retired Education Association - Jerry Mason Memorial Scholarship.