Gloria Ann Lynch, 85, of Pana, died on Tuesday, June 12, with her family by her side.
Visitation will be at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 23, at Pana First United Methodist Church, with the memorial service beginning at 9:30 a.m. Pastor Amanda Richards will officiate and Sutton Memorial Home in Taylorville is assisting the family with arrangements.
Mrs. Lynch was born in St. Elmo on Jan. 10, 1933, to Fred and Maude (Hicks) Miller. The family lived in St. Elmo, before later moving to Assumption, where Gloria attended school and was a cheerleader in the 1940s.
She and William "Bill" J. Lynch, Jr. were married on Dec. 31, 1952, in Assumption, and he preceded her in death. Mrs. Lynch worked at various factory jobs before becoming a wife and homemaker.
She was gifted with an artistic talent and was a very skilled seamstress. She also was well-known among family and friends for being an excellent cook and was especially known for her pies and noodles.
Mrs. Lynch was a devout Christian and later became a minister, where she was a member of the Association of International Gospel Assemblies for many years.
Surviving Mrs. Lynch are son, Donald (Suzane) Lynch of rural Pana; daughter, Lynn (Neil) Perkins of rural Tower Hill; grandchildren, Ben (Dawn) Lynch of Columbia, Will (Tina) Perkins of Pana, Lyndsey (Ryan) Harbaugh of Brownsburg, IN, and Libby (Michael) Almeida of Bloomington; great-grandchildren Carter Lynch, Colt Perkins and Eli, Logan and Lucas Harbaugh; sister, Stella (Charley) Nelson of Shelbyville and brother, David (Bonnie) Miller of Pana.
She was preceded in death by her parents in 1959 and 1960 and by her husband on Sept. 4, 2006. Also preceding her in death were son, William "Billy" J. Lynch, III, on Nov. 15, 2010; her infant brother, Fred; her three-year-old brother, Donald; and her brother Gene, in 2002.
Memorial donations are suggested to the Association of International Gospel Assemblies, Inc., C/O Shirley Gruver, 411 S. Third St., DeSoto, MO 63020.
Condolences may be left online at www.suttonmemorialhome.com.
