Continued: Martin Lynch served Cottage Grove schools for 31 years

Years ago, when Martin J. Lynch was a teacher in Cottage Grove, a student fell asleep in English class. After quietly ushering the other students out of the room and turning off the lights, Lynch woke the student.

"What are you doing here? School's been out for hours," Lynch told the bleary-eyed student, who grasped the prank only after he stole a look at the clock.

That was typical of how Lynch mixed humor with discipline in his long education career, said longtime friend Gordon Bailey, a former school board member.

"He was an outstanding and well-liked teacher," Bailey said of Lynch, 81, who died of liver cancer June 26. "He was thorough and conscientious and fair and a good listener. He brought out innovation in his whole staff."

Lynch, of Cottage Grove, was a principal at Park High School but also held several other positions there during his 31-year career. According to District 833 records, he was a classroom teacher for 10 years, an assistant principal for four, director of secondary education for 11, manager of secondary services for one and principal for five.

It's typical of Lynch's commitment to education that he retired and was rehired three times when the district needed him, Bailey said.

Lynch graduated from Cretin High School in 1946 and the College of St. Thomas in 1950. He married Doralene Collette, of Austin, Minn., in 1949 before he took a job teaching English and social studies in Howard Lake, Minn. He also served as school librarian, coached athletics and was involved in school dramatics.

The Lynch family moved to St. Paul Park in 1954, and he taught English, social studies and speech when the city still had a high school. He also was the 11th-grade class adviser, helping with junior proms.

In 1961, Lynch earned a master's degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1964 he became the first assistant principal of Park High School, and in 1968 he became director of secondary education in District 833 and hired many teachers for the district. In 1975, he earned an education specialist degree from St. Thomas.

He once said about his career: "I find that one of the most rewarding things about teaching is to meet my students after they have graduated and become successful. It is a wonderful feeling to think that you may have played some part in the whole thing."

Gloria Mack Sharp, a former student who graduated from Park High in 1958, said Lynch regularly attended high school class reunions and last came to her 45th. He was one of her favorite teachers, she said, and helped to inspire her own teaching career.

"He treated everyone so nice," she said. "He always greeting people in the hall. He just made you feel special."

Myra Peterson, a Washington County commissioner from Cottage Grove, said that Lynch was a "fine gentleman" who "ran the ship with an iron hand" but never got excited.

"What made him a good educator? Consistency, respect, genuine caring, all of the attributes of the people you know in your life that you truly respect," Peterson said.

"He was always a community guy and had a big heart," said his daughter, Kate Lynch Bix, of Excelsior. "Dad was one of those guys who showed up and he paid attention."

A son, Joey, preceded him in death.

In addition to his daughter Kate, he is survived by his wife, Doralene (Dolly); four other daughters, Mary Salk, of Oakland, Mich., Betty Tintor, of Hibbing, Barbara Lynch, of Roseburg, Ore., and Carol Mavetz, of Eagan; two sons, Tom Lynch and Mike Lynch, both of Woodbury; a brother, Neill O'Neill Sr., of Shoreview; 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services have been held.

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