Obituary: Helen Christine Lynch

Helen Christine Lynch, age 86, of Oak Ridge, passed away Tuesday, April 8, at Methodist Medical Center.

She was born Sept. 23, 1927, in Etowah, Tenn., the daughter of Clyde Franklin Davis and Hilda Best Davis.

Helen moved to Oak Ridge in 1944, at the age of 16, with her family from Lupton City, Tenn., near Chattanooga. Because of overcrowding, Oak Ridge High School students attended schools in shifts. She attended in the morning hours, worked in the afternoons, and went back to school at night for typing and bookkeeping.

Her first job was at Service Drugs in Jackson Square after school; then she worked at Thrifty Drug at Grove Center. It was at Miller’s Department Store where she met her future husband, Red Lynch, who worked in the stock room. Mrs. Hazel Keys, a department head, like Red, would let the two of them take breaks together. In 1948, she went to work for Jenkins Canteen Service at X-10, where she took and served orders. She also worked at the A & P Grocery Store in Jackson Square and Max Freidman’s Jewelry Store in Grove Center.

Mrs. Lynch retired from Hamilton National Bank where she had worked for 17 years as a teller. After retirement, she continued her career at the Bank of Oak Ridge and as rental agent for James H. Moore. She completed her working career at the Jewel Box.

Mrs. Lynch was listed in the credits of the book, “Girls of the Atomic City.”

She was a member of Karns Church of Christ.

Mrs. Lynch bowled for many years with several leagues, including Norris Creamery and the Little Atom Leagues. She also enjoyed antiques and in earlier years, she enjoyed roller skating at the Myers Brothers Skating Rink. Her passion was her family and her grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brother, Tommy Bynam Davis, and sisters, Joyce Louise Davis and Dorothy May Roberts.

She is survived by her husband, Robert “Red” James Lynch, with whom she celebrated 67 years of marriage on Sept. 8, 2013; daughter, Barbara “Bobbie” Lynch Martin and husband Vascoe “Steve” of Oak Ridge; brother, Jackie Ray Davis of Detroit, Mich.; sister, Donnie Sue Robinson of St. Petersburg, Fla.; three grandchildren, Gabe Martin and wife Sarah, of Karns, Leah Baldwin and husband David, and Cory Martin and wife Rose Anne, all of Oak Ridge; and eight great-grandchildren, Drew, Jackson and Emma Martin, Victoria, Eli, and Charlotte Baldwin, and Warren and William Martin.

The family received friends on Thursday, April 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Weatherford Mortuary. The funeral followed at 7 p.m. with ministers Steve Higginbotham and Edwin Jones officiating. Family and friends will meet at 11 a.m. on Friday for a graveside service at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

The family asks that any memorials be made to the Billy Nicks Library Fund, in care of Karns Church of Christ, 6612 Beaver Ridge Road, Knoxville, TN 37931.

An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.