James T. Lynch, Jr.

James T. Lynch, Jr. (Jim) was born on July 4, 1946 in Burlington, Vermont. When he was approximately five years old, he moved with his family to Broad Brook, Connecticut, where he lived until he joined the United States Air Force in April 1967. He attended Basic Training at Lackland AFB, Texas and Electron-ics Training at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. His first assignment after training was at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, where he worked as a video technician and provided maintenance to the Training Command. 

In December 1969, Jim moved his family to the Washington, DC area where he was assigned to the 2044th Communications Group in the National Military Command Center (NMCC) at the Pentagon as an Electronics Technician. After seven years of Air Force military service, Jim was discharged in March 1974 and returned to the NMCC as an Air Force civilian. There he helped during several upgrades to the Center. Jim came to work in the Navy Command Center in October 1983 and was there doing his job on September 11, 2001. 

Jim was a very patriotic person. He had a 15-foot flagpole in his front yard and always flew his American flag. He also had a strong appreciation for nature and its most delicate beauty. He spent hours every week feeding and watching hummingbirds in his yard and growing a wide variety of roses. Jim also loved taking pictures, especially of his family. It is actually hard to find pictures of Jim because he was always behind the camera taking the pictures. 

Jim spent many years walking the Pentagon halls handing out Werther’s Originals; he bought them by the case. Every day, during his lunch break, he had a regular route handing out the candies to people, trying to put a smile on their faces. This practice extended beyond the Pentagon to giving candies to cashiers at stores, bank tellers, or anyone that he felt needed a lift or a smile. His son, Paul, is continuing this tradition. 

Jim is survived by his wife, Brenda, of Manassas, Virginia; a son, Paul Lynch of Waldorf, Maryland; a daughter, Patty Singh of Indian Head, Maryland; a stepson, John Jackson of Lovettsville, Virginia; a mother, Doris Lynch; sisters, Maureen MacDonald and Carolyn DeRosier of Enfield, Connecticut; a sister, Judy Hesse of Broad Brook, Connecticut; a sister, Kathleen Zetscher of Silver Spring, Maryland; a brother, Michael Lynch of Rockville, Connecticut; and three grandchildren, Nikki, Jimmy and Kelli.