Therese M. Lynch

Therese Macre Lynch aka “Old Lady” born May 17, 1927, and died January 28, 2016.  

Survived  by her son Sean Lynch, daughter Maureen Lynch, son Timothy Lynch, 6 grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  Her oldest child Nancy predeceased her, having died four years ago in January 2012.  She was the last of her immediate family, having survived her Father Francis, Mother Marie, and her beloved Brother Walter. 

She grew up in Brooklyn, NY.  She helped as a nurse’s aide for soldiers returning from Europe during WWII.  She had severe arthritis as a child, and had trouble with her gait.  Her doctors removed her small toes mistakenly believing that this would cure her.  She would obtain a B.A. from a small Catholic girl’s college and received a Certification in Paralegal Studies from NYU.  After her divorce in 1966, she worked full time as either a legal secretary or paralegal. 

Old Lady raised and supported four children alone; one, Nancy was always seriously ill.  Old Lady at times would work 3 jobs to support her family, as a legal secretary during the day, a salesperson at night and a paralegal on weekends.  She gave her children a strong work ethic.  All her children worked from their early teenage years to help her.

Despite her working, she always had time for her children, especially Nancy as she went through major and, as it turned out, live saving cancer surgery.   Old Lady would do battles with her Health Insurer over coverage for what they said was experimental surgery.  She won for the most part and the ‘experimental’ surgery saved Nancy’s life.  Nancy went on to live another 40 years and have a healthy son, Francis. 

Old Lady had an insatiable love of animals.  Despite her many economic troubles, animals, especially deformed or maltreated ones, always found their way to her.  It’s as if Mother Nature had a GPS device on her for wayward dogs and cats that simply said “there is love”   She truly enjoy and cared for all creatures.

Her most defining characteristic was that she was excessively polite and kind; she highly valued how she treated others.  She only saw the good in people and thought the best of any situation.  She always strived to be gracious and loved meeting new people.  She had an amazing gentle way about her.  Probably why the title “Old Lady” always defined her gentle soul.   When asked why she allowed us to call her ‘Old Lady,’ she said it reminded her of her beloved father who called her ‘Lady.’   Apparently, she was always polite, caring and gracious.  She prayed a lot and always seem to have a prayer or a Saint for any particular situation.  Her favorites were St. Francis and St. Jude.  Whenever an ambulance, a fire truck or a police car needed to pass, she not only pulled over, but she would immediately start praying:  as she would explain: “someone needed help and those helping them need our prayers as well.” 

In the end, the role that fitted her most, was that of being a ‘Mom.’   After her youngest when to college, she ‘retired’ to a paralegal job in Fort Myers, Florida.  However, when Francis came into this world, she drove up to New York and picked up Nancy and Francis and would assume the role of ‘Mom’ again.   She would do this again and again.  She eventually ‘retired’ to Vermont and tried for a time to own and operate a Bed and Breakfast she called “The Keresey House.” 

She will always be loved and remembered for her generous heart .  She loved her children and grandchildren unconditionally.  She will always be the Old Lady.

Wake services on Friday February 5th from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Funeral services will be at First Church of Squantum on Saturday, February 6th at 10 a.m.  (www.firstchurchsquantum.org) 

In lieu of Flowers, donations may be made to Boston CASA, 715 Boylston Street, Suite 410, Boston, MA  02116 (or online at www.BostonCASA.org).