PUTNEY — We in our family extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to our wonderful community for their love and support at the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Laurence “Larry” Lynch Sr.
From the moment Larry was stricken, we were surrounded immediately with help and support.
God bless the first responders and friends who were here visiting and who assisted our grandson, also a first responder, in giving immediate skilled care to Larry. They quickly summoned help, including neighbors in the medical profession. West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department rescue and first responders, as well as Rescue Inc. personnel, came in record time and gave superb, incomparable medical care.
Rev. Susanna Griefen came immediately and brought her prayers and calming presence. She, as well as many friends, stayed with us until the early-morning hours. Susanna spent hours with us in the days following his passing. She made sure that every detail of Larry's service was in place. Her love and care showed through and was invaluable to our family.
Larry was a firefighter for more than 50 years and, reflecting on his time and dedication to fire service, we thank the members of the West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department for honoring his life by providing a ride to his final resting place at the cemetery in one of their firetrucks, followed by many firefighters from Dummerston and surrounding towns.
We also thank David Emery, retired chief of the Brattleboro Fire Department, for leading the honorable tradition of a firefighter's funeral. We thank them all for not only being there for him but also for being there for his family as well.
Thank you to everyone at the Dummerston Congregational Church for all their hard work and accommodations for our family and friends and for their prayers and prayer shawls.
The Evening Star Grange is dear to our hearts, and we extend our thanks to the good people who helped make Larry's services possible and for providing an after gathering.
Beth Perkins and the staff at Ker Westerlund Funeral home were so wonderful to our family and went above and beyond their duties by special-ordering a handcrafted maple-leaf urn as well as prayer cards and a portrait of Larry.
Chris Mays at the Brattleboro Reformer wrote a beautiful piece about Larry's life in Dummerston.
Laurence Lynch certainly was one of a kind to us, but we can tell you from our hearts that this community is full of people with the same spirit of caring that he showed everyone. Our family has found comfort in one another and in our friends in the days and weeks following his loss. He was the rock in our family and a cornerstone in the community.
Although his absence is felt deeply, we know a part of him will be forever in this area, living in the spirit of this great community.