Justin Michael Lynch

Lynch, Justin Michael, 24, of Mesquite passed away Feb 19, 2009. Justin was born on Oct 23, 1984 in Dallas. He graduated from Poteet HS (03) and TX A&M (07). He taught 8th grade math at Agnew MS. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly; parents John and Rita Lynch; two sisters, Amy LaGrange & husband Donnie and Melissa Chase & Brandon; 6 nieces and nephews. Visitation: 2-5 pm Sun, Feb 22 at New Hope Funeral Home. Service: 10 am Mon, Feb 23 at Eastridge Park Christian Church. If you like, a scholarship fund in his honor will be established at Eastridge Park Christian Church. Justin Michael Lynch (23 Oct 1984 " 19 Feb 2009) Justin was a compassionate, sweet, and generous man who appreciated the subtle beauty of this world. He lived his 24 years on earth to the fullest. To know Justin was to love him. It seems odd to use so many clichs to describe a man, who is anything but. Justin was born to John and Rita Lynch in Dallas, TX on Oct 23, 1984. He was what you might call a big baby , weighing in at 11 lbs 4 oz. Most of you know the warm, yet hulking, presence he had when he entered the room. Well it started day one when he first entered this world. Justin had two sisters, Amy and Melissa, who served as 2nd and 3rd mothers for him. He may have complained about the extra mothering, but deep down he loved the extra attention. Amy dreaded his arrival so much that when they returned home from the hospital with him, she had thrown all her Cabbage Patch dolls in the trash. Apparently, not only did she not want to share the spotlight with her new little brother, she didnt want any babies around, so the Cabbage Patchs had to go. Another version of the story (Amys) suggests that she didnt need the Cabbage Patch anymore because Mother Hen finally had a real baby to love. Regardless of the version to which you subscribe, you could argue that Justin developed his charm at an early age, winning Amys heart. Melissa also had a special relationship with her brother. As a little boy, she often found him in her closet. As they grew up, Justin was often at events watching his sister. He gave up many a Halloweens to sit through volleyball tournaments. Even though Justin was Melissas little brother, he became Brandons brother too. Brandon is Justins brother in law who knew him from the age of 11. Brandon has spoke of the cherished times he was able to spend with him playing video games on visits home from college or trips home to visit once they lived nearby. Together, Melissa and Brandon watched him grow into the amazing man we all knew. Justins ability to make Melissa laugh will be missed the most. I was counting on him to give me a hard time for turning thirty this year and how I am resetting my clock from baby freedom , as he would put it, with the arrival of his newest niece or nephew this August. I love you! Justin was a prankster from the beginning. He used to hide from his mother and sisters in the round clothes racks at various stores. He would stand on the bars so that he completely invisible. When you finally found him, he laughed like crazy. One particularly charming thing Rita cherishes is the way Justin always leaned on her. Not metaphorically, but literally leaned on her. Whether he was at a swim meet, a volleyball match, or just watching TV at home, he always leaned on her when sitting next to her. It was such a comforting, loving feeling. Johns most cherished moments with Justin came through their mutual appreciation of the tranquility of the natural world. Crisp early mornings in a deer stand, huddled together in a sleeping bag listening to the slight whispers of our world that God shares with the patient and disciplined. Through those experiences with John, Patrick, Ross, Monty, Weston, Mike, Pete and Al, Kevin and many others, Justin learned to find and appreciate the beauty of the little things in life, to value the fragility of life, and to make the most of every day, in addition to why it was important to eat corn (thanks Uncle Al !) John and Justins hunting trips took them all around the country, but most importantly, led to Justin spending quite a bit of time in a little town in South Texas, Cotulla to be more specific. Well, thats not exactly true. As Justin grew older, hunting wasnt the reason he kept going back to Cotulla, it was just the excuse J The reason Justin kept going to Cotulla was not love of the outdoors, but his love for Kimberly. The woman he loves for eternity. During his Junior year of high school, Justin met Kimberly through the arrangement of his Aunt Linda and Kimberlys mom, Cheryl. Their first date was her Junior Prom in Cotulla and a new love was born. Before Justin graduated from Poteet HS in 2003, he tallied a long list of distinguished accomplishments, most of them unknown to us because of Justins humility. In the classroom, Justin earned placement on the Honor Roll every 6 weeks from 7th grade on and was a member of the National Honor Society (NHS). As a Freshman, Justins Destination Imagination Team earned its way to the Global Finals where they placed 10th in the world for their creative problem solving. By his Senior year, he was the NHS Treasurer, had won the USAA National English Award, made the list of Whos Who Among American High School Students , as well as earning the Lanny Frazier Athletic Award. Justins accomplishments were not limited to the classroom. On the athletic field, he was Poteets Most Valuable Offensive Lineman as a Senior, earning 1st Team Offense All City, All District honors and Academic All-District Honors, not to mention Academic All State Honorable Mention. But what he enjoyed most was throwing the discus. Justin also volunteered himself to many organizations including the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, Taste and Trades Day in Mesquite, Nursing homes in Mesquite, Kimbrough Middle School, and Kimball Elementary, just to name a few. Justin was an accomplished hunter and expert marksman. He got his first deer when he was 8, a 10 pointer that made John and Justin both beam with pride. He won numerous tournaments for his skills with rifles, hand guns and with dogs, but what he loved most about the hunt was camaraderie of the campfire with his close friends. His 4 year old niece, Katie, says her favorite memory of Uncle Justin is when he and Poppy took her fishing at the pond and taught her about the secret bait (cheesy hot dogs). After High School, Justin attended Texas A&M University in College Station with Kimberly and many of his childhood friends. Despite his physical stature, Justin always remained just a big kid. He never ceased to approach the world with curiosity, an open heart, and a positive perspective. Several of his friends best remember how Justin had a knack for just making whatever you were doingbetter. Justin graduated in December of 2007 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, 4th-8th Grade Science. Throughout his tenure at A&M, Justin and Kimberly remained a devoted couple. Albeit, their roles were somewhat reversed, you might say. Justin was the one who did most of the cooking. He kind of had to in order to support his uncanny aversion to almost any green vegetable. In fact, most of his dishes were famous, if you didnt think so, you could just ask him. A typical college weekend usually consisted of dinner and a movie pop in a rented movie, cuddle up and watch for a while. When Justin was able to tempt Kimberlys more adventurous side, he took her 4-wheeling. Much to her surprise, she loved it, in spite of the fact she was to reluctant to try it. Eventually, it came time to pop the question . Justin was meticulous, if he was anything. It took him just 6 months to pick out a ring. The morning he proposed, he placed it in her chocolate milk, her morning staple, to make sure she would find it before heading to Church. Justins love for Kimberly continued to grow through their Aggie years and they were married on September 27, 2008 with a beautiful wedding in Mathis, TX. They resided in Mesquite where Justin taught 8th Grade Math at Agnew Middle School. He was highly regarded by students and peers alike (please read the many student tributes to Justin). Justins short time here impacted all who knew him. Whether you were a loved one, friend, or a student Justin left a special mark in all of our hearts. He left this world too early, but is living out eternity in a better place. We rejoice in the time we shared and the time we will once again have when we meet him in Heaven.