2019 -- H 5834

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LC002116

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF RICHARD B. LYNCH

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, McEntee, Marszalkowski, Fogarty, and
Phillips

     Date Introduced: March 12, 2019

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, It is with utmost sadness that this House has learned of the passing of

Richard B. Lynch, the highly-respected former Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL)

Executive Director, beloved husband for fifty-five years to the late Mary Lynch, and the father of

Patricia Tweedie and her husband, John, Terrence Lynch, Colleen Bodziony and her husband,

Kurt, and Maureen Gauthier and her husband, Tom. He was also the very proud grandfather of

Cory Tweedie and the late Benjamin Tweedie, TJ and Taylor Lynch, Nicholas and Megan

Bodziony, and Matthew and Alyssa Gauthier; and

     WHEREAS, Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Richard Lynch, better known as "Dick" by

his family and many friends, was the son of the late James and Katherine Lynch. He grew up in

Seekonk, and played football at St. Raphael Academy, attended Boston College on a four year

football scholarship, and received his Master's degree in Education from Providence College; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Lynch began his teaching career as a teacher/coach at St. Raphael

Academy until joining the staff of the Cumberland School Department where he worked as a

teacher, coach, assistant principal, middle school principal, and high school principal for the next

twenty-seven years. He was subsequently named Assistant Superintendent and ultimately

Superintendent of Schools in Smithfield, retiring in 1994; and

     WHEREAS, In May of 1994, Mr. Lynch was named as the RIIL's first full-time director

in May of 1994. He also served as the RIIL's Director of basketball, was on its Principals

Committee, was past President of the R.I. Basketball Officials Association, and had officiated

games in the Atlantic 10, Big East, Ivy League, ECAC, MAAC and NCAA Division I

tournament; and

     WHEREAS, During his tenure with the Interscholastic League, Mr. Lynch was credited

with transporting the organization to another level through his sense of integrity, honesty, hard

work and professionalism; and

     WHEREAS, Highly regarded, Mr. Lynch was named one of "Rhode Island's Top 100

Most Significant Sport Figures in the 20th century" in 1999 by The Providence Journal, and was

selected as a recipient of the Pawtucket Red Sox Hometown Hero Award, the Rhode Island

Sports Council's Paul Kilcullen Sports Advocate Award, the Institute for International Sports

Frank Keaney Award, Rhode Island Chapter National Football Foundation/Contribution to

Football Award, and Words Unlimited – 2004 Frank Lanning Award/Lifetime Achievement

Award, to name but a few of his many honors; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Lynch retired as Executive Director of the RIIL in 2004, after nearly 50

years as a teacher, coach, official and school administrator. In addition, throughout the years, he

had been affiliated and served on myriad professional, educational, sports and community

organizations; and

     WHEREAS, Although we are diminished by this loss and mourn his passing, so must we

celebrate the spirit, dedication and generosity with which Dick Lynch lived every day of his life;

now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby extends its deepest sympathy on the passing of Richard B. Lynch;

and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Patricia Tweedie, Terrence Lynch, Colleen

Bodziony, and Maureen Gauthier.

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LC002116

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