Doris Kathleen Lynn, known to most as Dodie, was born at home June 4, 1926 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. She spent her childhood in Hershey, a small town where everyone walked to wherever they wanted to go. She and her sister, June, and brother, Ed could hear the school bell, roll out of bed, walk across the ally, and be to school on time. On Saturday nights she and her friends would walk to the hockey rink to ice skate; it is there that Jack Lynn asked her to skate and a life long love began. While in Hershey Junior College Jack joined the Navy and was shipped off to the South Pacific. When the war ended and Jack returned home; they were married, packed the green hornet, and headed to Yale where Jack would spend the next 5 years on his PhD in Chemistry. Dodie was a secretary in Yale medical records office practicing her typing skills that would serve her well as she then took on the task of typing Jack’s PhD dissertation.
One month before leaving New Haven, their first child, Patti, was born. They stopped off in Hershey for a month before traveling south to Charleston, WV where Jack had taken a position as a research chemist with Union Carbide. While in Charleston they had 2 sons, Jeffrey and Brian and remained for the next 18 years. They made life long friends which later called themselves Wuh-Vah. In 1969 Jack took a position in the NY office and the family moved to Westfield, NJ. It was there that Dodie used her decorating talents into making this new house their home for the next 23 years. Many of their Charleston friends also moved north and they continued their friendships gathering every fall for the next 20 years for the Yale / Harvard football game. For 29 years the fall and spring were spent at their beach house on Colington Island. Their days were filled with sailing, playing golf, and of course, gathering with friends for the social hour on the deck overlooking the harbor. After retirement they settled in Seven Lakes, NC where they played golf and made many more friends. Dodie loved dressing up, going to dances, and parties of any kind; she even tapped danced for years in the local talent show. Their bond with their Charleston friends continued as most retired to the NC area; they continued to gathered every fall for 43 years. From days in Charleston at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul’s of Westfield, NJ, to St. Mary Magdalene’s of Seven Lakes, Dodie served on the altar guild. Going to church on Sunday was a constant part of her life. If there was a party…she wanted to be there. Finally, Dodie and Jack moved to Penick Village where made new friends, reacquainted with friends from their Yale days, and friends from Seven Lakes. Her best memories were shopping and lunches with Patti, pinning the Eagle Scout badge on Jeff, and watching Brian play tennis, soccer, and baseball.
She often said, “I had a Good Life, I had the best husband ever.”
Dodie passed peacefully on October 18th after a brief illness. Surviving Dodie are her husband John and their 3 children: Patti, Jeffrey, and Brian; her grandchildren: Brian Wagner and Tabitha, Ashley Lynn Trepp and Ethan, Cameron Vanore and Greg, Heather Long and David, and Kirsten Lynn; and 8 great-grandchildren: Jaden, Caleb, Dylan Wagner; Leah, Freddy, Wolfie Trepp; Huxton and Riggs Long.
The family wishes to express their deep gratitude provided by Lauren and Michelle of First Health Hospice, Caregivers of AOS, and the nursing staff of Penick Village. In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at https://givenow.lls.org.
Services will be held at Penick Village of Southern Pines. November 4th at 3:00.
Online condolences may be made at: www.BolesFuneralHome.com
