Mildred Lynch

Mildred Lynch, 92, of Weatherford, Texas, passed away peacefully on October 29, 2021, at her home. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alfonso and Elvira Tarantino, and was the last surviving sibling of Josephine Torlucci, Domenic (Mickey) Tarantino, and Annette Favetta.

Mildred was born on July 4, 1929, in West Orange, New Jersey. In the 40’s and early 50’s she loved to go with her brother, Mickey, to watch Yankee’s greats like Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. She graduated second in her class from West Orange High School, but since college was beyond a middle-class family in the 40’s, she pursued a career as a secretary. After working for several years, Mildred wanted something more exciting, so she took a job with the State Department and moved to Washington D.C. A few years later she was stationed in Jakarta, Indonesia, where she served as the Ambassador’s secretary at the U. S. Embassy.

It was at the embassy that she met her husband of 56 years, Peter Lynch, while he served as a Marine Embassy Guard. Before their marriage, she nursed him through a severe case of malaria, at one point requiring her to submerge him in an ice filled tub to bring his extreme temperature down. Peter ultimately preceded her in death in 2015.

Mildred was a loving mother of four children and at times had to raise them on her own while Peter was deployed and always while living away from extended family. One of the many trials Mildred faced was in 1968 while Peter served in Vietnam and their four children ranged in age from 5 to 9. She watched as the military notification team parked in front of her house, but then went next door. After composing herself from the shock of what she thought was her loss, she went next door to help console her neighbor.

Mildred took an active role in each community as the Marine Corp moved the family around the country. She volunteered at a Leper Colony in Hawaii, was very active in her local Catholic Church, Marine wives’ groups, and was a member and served as President of a chapter of the Order of the Sons of Italy. When her children were older, Mildred revived her secretarial skills and returned to the work force for more than 20 years. During this time, she fulfilled her lifelong dream and graduated with an associate degree in Liberal Arts from St Leo’s College. She suffered a major stroke in 1996 that took her beautiful voice away and left her unable to care for herself.

Mildred is survived by her eldest daughter, Kathy Howard and her husband, Jeff; son, Chris Lynch and companion, Patty King; daughter, Patricia Costello and husband, Bob; and son, Peter Lynch and his wife, Risa. Her loss is also felt by five grandsons, two great-grandsons, and numerous nephews and nieces.

The family wishes to express its deepest appreciation to Traci, Christina, and the rest of the loving staff at Hilltop Park Assisted Living Facility in Weatherford, Texas for their care of our mother. May she rest in peace.

For those wishing to make memorial contributions, the family suggests: Alzheimer’s Association, Feeding America, or National Military Association. The family is planning a private remote memorial service to occur at a later date.