Tony Pierce Lynch was born March 28, 1938, in Mansfield, to Albert Fanning Lynch and Bessie Pierce Lynch. He was the youngest of 12 children and attended school in Mansfield, Diggins and Seymour. Tony learned the trade of auto body repair with his brother-in-law, Jacob Goss, in Arroyo Grande, Calif. He worked in Texas and Illinois, before settling in Missouri, where he was employed for 33 years by St. Louis Street Auto Body in Springfield, retiring in 1989. As Tony was well known for being a perfectionist, his skills were personally requested by many influential people. Tony was united in marriage to Janice Laneatte Daw on Jan. 19, 1979. They lived in Seymour many years before moving to Fordland in 1993. Tony attended the First Christian Church in Seymour, where he served as a deacon and board chairman. He was baptized by John Wylie on February 11, 2001. Later, he attended Cumberland Presbyterian Church until being hospitalized in 2019. After retirement, Tony enjoyed playing golf, traveling and spending winters in Mississippi with Janice, their dogs and the many friends met along the way. They were all avid players of bocce ball and washers. He enjoyed nature and fed birds and any wild animals that wandered onto their deck. In Tony’s younger years, he was quite the risk taker as a bull and bronc rider, winning many awards.
Tony departed this world Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, after a long stay in the Marshfield Care Center. He made many friends while there and was pampered by the staff. He is survived by his wife, Janice, of the home; his two sons, Marty and Scott; grandchildren, Danielle, Sky and Kristen; sister-in-law, Ernestine Lynch, of California; special niece and nephew, Bill and Normetta Gularte, of Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Janice’s children and grandchildren whom Tony loved as his own, Chris Daw (Jil) and daughter, Tegan, of Richmond Heights; Teri Myers, of Seymour; very special grandson, Dakota Myers (Maria) and their children, Caden, Braydon and Echo, of Seymour; along with several nieces, nephews and many, many friends. Tony was preceded in death by his parents; his 11 brothers and sisters, Edison, Frank, John, Forest, Austin, Ralph, Gertrude, Eunice, Nicie, Peggy and Janet; and son-in-law, Jim Myers. All services are Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020. Visitation at Holman-Howe from 10-11 a.m., with graveside service at Seymour Masonic Cemetery starting at 11:15 a.m. Rev. Sam Burt is officiating with Denise Burt and Stan Coday performing music.
