Lt.Col. Walter J. Lynch US Army (Ret.)

1930 - 2021

Lt. Col. Walter J. Lynch, U.S. Army (retired), 91, of the Greenwood section of Moosic died Monday, Nov. 22, at home with his loving family at his side. He is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years, the former Antoinette Marie Martinelli, formerly of Dunmore.

Born July 10, 1930, on Morton Street in Old Forge, he was the son of the late Walter T. and Helen Farrell Lynch. He was a 1947 graduate of Old Forge High School and a 1960 graduate of the University of Scranton. He was also a graduate of the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

He was a United States Army veteran, with four-and-a-half years active duty, first serving with the Philippine Scouts in the Pacific Theater in Guam and Saipan from 1947 to 1949. While subsequently attending the University of Scranton, he was recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict, serving in the United States and Germany with the 109th Infantry of the 25th Infantry Division.

He was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Army Occupation Medal, the Pennsylvania Commendation Medal and numerous other medals and ribbons.

Walter joined the regular Army in 1947 as a private and through the years rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard for 25 years and the Army Reserve 79th ARCOM for another eight years, retiring in 1983 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a member of the American Legion, Post 513, Old Forge, and a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 6082, Peckville.

He was a member of the Elmhurst Country Club for more than 20 years and was very active in community youth sports, including coaching in the Moosic Little League, the Moosic Raiders Junior Football team, and as a charter member and past president of the Riverside Booster Club.

Walter also was a 13-year member of the Board of Directors of the Lackawanna River Basin Sewer Authority and was a past president.

In 1992, he retired as an executive sales representative for Liberty Mutual, with more than 33 years with that company.

Walter was a devout Catholic and a faithful parishioner of Divine Mercy Parish. For many years, he was in charge of the Bishops Annual Appeal, and he was recognized with a certificate for his dedication.

Walter will be deeply missed and will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

The Lynch family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Dr. O'Donnell, Dr. Baikadi and Dr. Armando Sallavanti for their compassionate care of Walter over the years.

In addition to his lovely wife, he is survived by two sons, Brian and his wife, Marisa, Chester Springs; Walter and his wife, Bridgette, Philadelphia; a daughter, Colleen Rossi and her husband, Joseph, Archbald; a sister, Nancy Roth, Hutchinson Island, Fla. He was blessed with 10 grandchildren, Shana Denne and husband, Rick; Shaylyn Tinari and husband, Brent; Shane Lynch and wife, Michelle; Gabriella Armillay and husband, Thomas; Alexandria Lynch; Joseph Rossi and fiancée, Maryjo Dickinson; Nicholas Lynch, Anthony Rossi, Robert Rossi and Ambrose Rossi. He also had four great-grandchildren, Frederick, Evelyn, Nolan and Sutton Denne. He had numerous cousins and many close friends.

He was preceded in death by an infant son; and sister, Betty Meager.

Family and friends are invited to attend Walter's funeral, which will begin at 11:45 a.m. on Monday at the Semian Funeral Home, 704 Union St., Taylor, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 12:30 p.m. in Divine Mercy Parish, 312 Davis St., Scranton, by the Rev. Francis L. Pauselli. Interment with military honors will follow at St. Mary of Czestochowa Cemetery, Moosic. Friends may call Sunday, 4 to 7 p.m.

Memorials in Walter's memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Please visit www.semian

cares.com to share memories or extend condolences.