Wilma Margarette Lynch

Wilma Margarette Lynch was born to Isabel and Ernest Holdbrook in the South Bosque, Texas area on May 19, 1927. She passed away on December 28, 2023, at home surrounded by family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Isabel and Ernest Holdbrook, son in law Gary Dean Conley, sister Mary Marsh, brother-in-law Bob Marsh, and nephew Mike Marsh. She is survived by daughters Carol Lynch Conley and partner Charlie Schumacher, Nancy Lynch Knipp, and daughter in law Traci Knipp, and great niece Blythe Jewell. She was blessed with 5 grandchildren, Sunne and husband Curtis Dickey, Joshua Hardie, Tyler and wife Amy Hardie, Katie and husband Chance Broumley, Kymber Conley and John Holloway, as well as 7 great grandchildren Cydney, Paige, and Autumn Dickey, Kolton Northcutt, Kasten Broumley, Kamdin Govensky, and Hazel Hardie.

Wilma was born on a farm in the South Bosque area. When she was 7 the family moved to Rattlesnake Hill where she began grade school at Highland country school. When Wilma was in 2nd grade the family moved to McGregor, this is where she would ultimately graduate high school in May of 1944. The summer after graduation, she went to work for the telephone company as a switchboard operator. Here she quickly learned that this was not what she wanted to do for a living. During WW2 there was shortage of registered nurses, so the government began a training program known as the Cadet Nurse Corps. Wilma joined this program in July 1944 and began her training at Hillcrest Memorial Hospital in Waco. She graduated in July 1947 as a registered nurse and began her nursing career at Scott and White hospital in Temple.

After being setup on a blind date, Wilma married the love of her life, Robert Franklin Lynch, on September 11, 1950, in an intimate ceremony surrounded by family at Wilma’s parents’ home in McGregor. While on their Honeymoon Bob received his orders from the Army to report to Fort Smith Arkansas as a 2nd Lieutenant. From Fort Smith Bob was reassigned to The Army Recruiting and Induction Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma during the height of The Korean War. While in Oklahoma, they experienced a Tornado, Earthquake, and the birth of their 1st daughter Carol at Tinker Air Force Base hospital in 1951. After the war, Bob took a civilian’s job as the Assistant County Agent with A&M Extension Services in Sherman Texas where they had their 2nd daughter Nancy in 1956. She spent the next years of her life raising her daughters and supporting Bob’s many endeavors. In 1962, they returned to McGregor, Tx and Wilma went back to work as a surgical nurse at Hillcrest hospital in Waco, Tx, where she would spend the next 17 years before retiring in 1986.

In May of 1998, Bob and Wilma moved to Sun City Georgetown where they lived their best life watching over their grandchildren and great grandchildren, refurbishing antique furniture, writing/publishing their life stories, doing group day trips, playing bridge, and traveling the world. Wilma was a person of many interests with a very close-knit family. She loved organizing the yearly family beach vacations in the summer and snow skiing in the winter as well as weekend camping trips. Scrapbooking was her favorite hobby and she created scrapbooks for all her daughters and grandchildren. Bob and Wilma were members of the Hill Country Writers club and Wilma was a member of the Red Hat club while living in Sun City. They enjoyed the fellowship at Wellspring United Methodist church in Georgetown, Tx.

In September 2019, Wilma and Bob moved in with Nancy and Traci. Where Wilma loved spending her days on the large deck watching the family of foxes that lived in the backyard, enjoying the view, and watching the many birds. When not outside, she loved sitting in her TV room watching the news and discussing politics. On September 11, 2021, Wilma and Robert celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary at home with family.

A person's life is measured by the impact they left on others. Some of the many traits used to describe Wilma are being down to earth, reliable, tenacious, loyal, sensual, and hardheaded. She was the monarch of the family and has left quite a legacy. Bob and Wilma were blessed to have such wonderful care from their family and caregivers Stephanie Clary, Toni Hirst, and Virginia Johnson. We take comfort in knowing that she has been reunited with Bob in Heaven, to spend eternity with Jesus.

Memorial service will be 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at the First United Methodist Church in McGregor, Tx with Reverend David Ray officiating. There will a reception following the service in the fellowship hall.

If you want to donate in lieu of flowers to the Caring Committee First United Methodist Church 500 South Madison Avenue McGregor, Texas 76657