Friends of Gerry and Dick Lynch came out to the El Santiago Recreation Center on Sunday to remember Dick and celebrate the life the couple had together for 40 years. The reception began with a champagne toast at the bench that was placed in 2015 in honor of Gerry’s 20 years leading the Villages Cheerleaders. Another plaque honoring Dick was recently added. The inscription on the plaque, “Dick Lynch – the heart, soul and backbone of the Villages Cheerleaders,” was read and he was toasted to great cheers.
Dick Lynch passed away recently.
The bench was a gift from the cheerleaders to Gerry and Dick for their 20 years of service to the Villages Cheerleaders. Board member Bonnie MacCarroll spearheaded the project. MacCarroll is the official party and event planner for the cheerleaders, a title Gerry gave her.
The crowd moved inside and shared stories, memories and descriptions of Dick with Gerry often following the speakers to add Dick’s part of the story. Ann Pelle, captain of the Villagers Twirlers, had the group laughing and crying as shared memories from more than 10 years ago and also noted what a tough year 2016 has been. Pelle lost a daughter recently. She commented on how these two long-term Villages groups support each other. Pelle said she and her husband talked often about how much Dick supported the Cheerleaders and the love they saw between Gerry and Dick.
“God bless him. He was a very very good soul,” Pelle said.
Representing Villages Entertainment Jane Ruerup said that Dick always thought of everybody else. Janemarie Dorsey, a friend of Gerry’s since kindergarten, remembered Dick showing them around The Villages and convincing them this was the place to live.
“Dick makes everyone fall in love with this place,” added Gerry.
MacCarroll ended the program reading at Gerry’s request the poem God’s Garden.
People then broke into smaller groups to share more memories.
“We were married for 40 years and it was non-stop. Earlier in our marriage we were busy with the children, but from the time we moved here 23 years ago, we were inseparable,” she said.
They played golf together, ate pizza and drank beer every Friday night, a family tradition, together and of course ran the Villages Cheerleaders together.