Leonard E Lynch

Leonard (Len) Lynch died peacefully on June 19th after a 16-month battle with cancer - heroically surpassing the three-month expectancy. His wife Linda (Lindy) was by his side. They were at their home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.

Len was born in Chicago on November 6, 1940 to Everett and Luella (Doty) Lynch. He grew up in Grandview, Missouri and graduated from Grandview High School in 1958. A year later he married his high school sweetheart, Carol Sue Ashcraft. They were married nearly sixty years when Carol died in 2018. Their loving marriage produced two children, Jeffrey Lynch of Loch Lloyd, Missouri and Jennifer (Lynch) Krysa of West Des Moines, Iowa.

Len joined Carol's Dad, Bill Mill, in 1959 to found Acme Dock Specialists. After Bill's retirement in 1969, Len took the helm of the company until his retirement in 1989. Len was known throughout the industry as an exceptional salesman, a caring employer and a pioneer in the loading dock market.

In 1975, Len joined the Masonic Lodge in Grandview, Missouri and subsequently joined the Ararat Shrine. He played in the Shrine Drum and Bugle Corps and participated in many parades and other events. Len was a natural conversationalist and an orator with a charismatic personality. These traits, along with his commitment and dedication, were responsible for his appointment in 1992 to the Ararat Divan (management board). In this role he spent ten years in service to Ararat and Shriners Hospitals. In 2001 he served as Potentate (Chairman of the Board). He soon established himself as a dynamic leader and outspoken champion of balanced budgets and viable reserve funds. He managed the budgets for the fraternity as well as the building fund and the Hospital Transportation Fund. The latter fund paid for the transportation of children and their guardians to Shriners hospitals in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Galveston. For more than ten years after serving as Potentate, Len attended the Shriners annual meetings and was honored Emeritus member of the Hospital Corporation. Len also served in the prestigious role as Worshipful Master of Grandview Masonic Lodge.

Len was a member of the Royal Order of Jesters, Kansas City Court 54. He was court director for two consecutive years. He received both of the two prestigious awards of the court. In 1995 he received the "Hugh L. Libby Award" (named after Court 54 National Royal Director) for outstanding service to Court 54. In 2008 he received the John E. Miller award (named after "Johnny Miller" who became a Jester in 1932 and served the court with great distinction until his death in 1997). For many years Leonard performed as The King's Jester in the "Book of the Play." For over 20 years Len was a Presenter and Eulogist at the Rose Ceremony which pays tribute to a Jester at his passing. Len became a Court 54 National Representative Emeritus. This recognition is obtained by attending thirteen annual National Meetings held across North America.

Other roles reflecting Len’s many interests included Past member, Ararat Flying Fez; Member, Ararat Amateur Radio Club; Legion of Honor, Order of DeMolay; National Sojourners Chapter #63; Past Camaxtli, Order of Quetzalcoatl, OKET #7; SOBIB #201; Past Mesa Chief, Kachina Klub; and Honorary Warrior, Tribe of Mic-O-Say, Len also enjoyed woodworking.

After Carol's death, Len found love again and, as he said, "a reason to live" when he met Dr. Linda Koehler. They were married fourteen months later. Although their time together was truncated by cancer their love flourished. They travelled in the West, the Caribbean, Mexico, Nashville, Michigan, Siesta Key, and eventually built their dream home in Florida.

Len is survived by his wife Linda, his children Jeffrey Lynch (Megan Clem) and Jennifer (Lynch) Krysa (Mike); grandchildren, Kaitlyn Lynch, Alexander Lynch, Claire Rupp, Jordan Krysa, Rachel Krysa and Brooke Krysa; great granddaughter Amelia Lynch; Linda’s two daughters who grew to love him, Piper Koehler and Laura Henaghan, and two sisters, Nancy Robinson and Kathy Mueller. Besides his parents, Len was preceded in death by his grandson, Harrison Rupp.

A celebration of life will be held in the coming months with a time and location to

be communicated.