By Mary-Evelyn Ternan, Past President, Alumni Council BA’69, Bed’70, MEd’88 |
Paul Lynch and I went to Primary together, at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, and then lost touch. Although I always followed news of Paul through Maroon & White, we didn’t really get reacquainted until I became SMU Alumni President in the fall of 2014.
It was so wonderful to reconnect with him and discover all of the people we had in common and how much we both loved SMU. He was such a hard working and committed Santamarian. Paul really was bigger than life and did not allow his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer more than two years ago, to slow him down. He continued to support our alumni activities, be a wonderful husband to Lisa, father and doting grandfather, special little brother, great friend, and a world traveller. He was a proud family man and was very happy to tell me that his sister, Dianne, had written a children’s book available in Spanish and English. It is about a Brown Pelican entitled “Pedro’s Dream.” It was so typical of Paul to support and be so proud of his family.
Paul was the heart and soul of the SMU Chapter in Ottawa for well over 20 years. He organized the annual Christmas Brunch, the Curling Bonspiel, and the Husky Howler Golf Tournament, and attended as many of the university events in Ottawa as he could. If he was in town and not skiing, he was there. He was always good humoured and ready to roll with any event. His initiative and support will be missed.
I will fondly remember our visit to Ottawa last year for our annual Parliament Hill Alumni Reception. Paul, along with Mary Ann Daye, Alumni Director, and fellow BOG member Mary-Lou Donnelly and myself, attended Question Period followed by a tour of the Speaker’s Office. Paul had taught the Speaker, Geoff Regan, skiing when they were both much younger!
I wish that we had had more time to spend together, but alas, it was not to be. On a positive note, Paul made it possible for his sister, Dianne, and I to reconnect and that is special to me.
I hope Paul’s story inspires you to make a donation to the Santamarian Fund in memory of this remarkable alumnus. As Dianne and Paul used to say: “Onwards and Upwards.”
