Obituaries

Lynn, age 95, passed peacefully at home surrounded by family. She was born and grew up in Midland, Michigan, 5th of 7 children. She was a resident of Fremont for 67 years.

Lynn’s father passed when she was 13 and her mother worked and rented out the farm until the children graduated from high school. Lynn received a scholarship, allowing her to attend the University of Michigan Ann Arbor where she met her husband, Mac. They were married in 1943 and moved to CA after their honeymoon, which they spent riding a train through the Canadian Rockies. They first lived in San Jose, then settled in Fremont in 1950.

For several years Lynn volunteered as a Pink Lady at Washington Hospital. When her youngest daughter started school, she got her teaching credential and became a 3rd grade teacher, mostly at Blacow Elementary School. She loved teaching and tried to expand her students’ horizons beyond the standard curriculum by exposing them to classical music and ideas that traditionally are introduced in more advanced grades. At home she enjoyed being a mother to her 4 girls, baking bread, sewing, listening to music, and gardening. She was proud of her roses, daffodils, strawberries and vegetables. She loved to read and she valued education; she even created her own ‘Education Fund’ to provide financial assistance for many family members to attend college. Lynn retired from teaching in 1982 and Mac retired from his job as a chemical engineer in 1983. This gave them the time to travel and focus on various leisure activities they both enjoyed. They went on several Elder Hostel trips around the United States and Europe and even took a 6-­month trip on a freighter to Australia and New Zealand. They especially enjoyed Alaska and Australia. Other interests included astronomy and bike riding – they spent their 50th anniversary bike riding through the Loire Valley in France.

In retirement, Lynn enjoyed volunteer work: she tutored children who were experiencing homelessness at Abode Services and she volunteered at the Fremont Library for more than 20 years. She took community classes in pottery, bought her own wheel and kiln, and enjoyed supplying pottery pieces to family and friends for many years.

Lynn was preceded in death by her loving husband, Mac, in 2005. Lynn is survived by her 4 daughters Mary James, Margery Segraves (Rick), Nancy Currie (Ted Gavin), and Dodi Merrill (Rick);; 7 grandchildren David Greenfield (Jenn Nordmark Kmetz), Jason Greenfield, Garret Segraves, McKaslyn Larson (Anders), Kane Merrill, Reece Merrill, Logan Merrill;; 2 great-­grandchildren Aiden Portillo Nordmark and Mary Joyce Greenfield: various nieces and nephews including Carolyn Zeljak (Frank), Cathryn Roberts, Sharon Heminger, Alan Heminger (Debby), Bonnie Ahearn, Karen Heminger;; and various great nieces and nephews including Steven Zeljak (Maureen), David Zeljak (Trina), Mark Zeljak (Crisitn), and Eileen Wagner.

Lynn was an extremely generous individual who highly valued education, honesty, and integrity. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Those who wish to make a charitable contribution in her memory may do so to Abode Services (www.Abodeservices.org) or to the scholarship fund at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.

There will be a Celebration of Life for friends and family on May 13. Please contact us at lynnmcurrie@gmail.com for details.