Theophilus Lynch
Theophilus “Professor Ted” Lynch, who founded the Spanish Program at U-M-Flint, died July 3.
After a distinguished career in the Pacific Theater during World War II, Lynch went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Williams College and his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the U-M-Flint faculty in 1966 and was promoted to full professor in 1972.
At the time of his arrival, the Foreign Language Department had no faculty in Spanish. Lynch was responsible for founding the Spanish program, which became the most popular language program at U-M-Flint. He went on to offer classes in Portuguese and Latin.
“Dr. Lynch was an excellent scholar, a devoted teacher and a loyal colleague. Students gravitated to his gentle, kindly manner, and flourished under his patient tutelage,” recalls College of Arts and Sciences Dean D.J. Trela. “I was privileged to meet him on a number of occasions and recall with real delight our conversations about literature, his fascination with the Tarot, and his distinguished service in west Asia during WWII, which he was always reluctant to discuss.”
Lynch retired in May 1993. He spent 27 of his 43 teaching years at U-M-Flint.
“We are deeply grateful for his devotion to the Foreign Languages Department and the College of Arts and Sciences,” Trela says. “We honor his memory and his example.”—Submitted by Mel Serow, U-M-Flint
