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Obituary

Principal dies at age 45 over winter break

A search committee is looking to replace Richard Lynn, who suffered a heart attack on Dec. 23 and died.

By RITA FARLOW
Published January 8, 2006

Richard Scott Lynn of Sarasota, principal of St. Raphael Catholic School in Old Northeast, died unexpectedly Friday (Dec. 23, 2005) of a heart attack. He was 45.

Kay Rizzo, associate superintendent of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, said that plans have not yet been made to replace Mr. Lynn, who came to St. Raphael in 2004 from St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota, where he had served as principal since 2002.

The church, in conjunction with the diocese, has set up a search committee to find a new principal, school secretary Shawn Tawil said. Dorsey Dunn, who teaches eighth-grade math at the school, has been named interim principal, Tawil said.

Most of the students who went back to school Tuesday had been informed of the death over the Christmas break and were being offered the chance to talk to a counselor provided by the diocese.

"We have a crisis intervention team here. There are school guidance counselors, also. Initially the parents were notified via instant alert," Rizzo said.

Tawil said Mr. Lynn tried to instill compassion in his students with a message he often repeated to them.

"Mr. Lynn will be missed greatly and the children will always remember his wise words. He used to always say, "Be good to one another,' " she said.

Mr. Lynn was born in Daytona Beach and moved to Sarasota in 2002 from Miami, where he was the former assistant superintendent of the Archdiocese of Miami and principal at St. Joseph's Catholic School. Mr. Lynn was also the principal at St. Anthony's Catholic School in Brooklyn, N.Y., from 1985 to 1991.

Mr. Lynn received a bachelor's degree in education in 1982 and a master's degree in administration and instructional leadership in 1983, both from St. John's University. Mr. Lynn was a proponent of using computers in schools and was the technology coordinator for the Archdiocese of Miami Department of Schools when it instituted wireless Internet access for its schools in Monroe, Dade and Broward counties in 1999.

Mr. Lynn was a sergeant for the New York Police Department Auxiliary and was a member of the Knights of Columbus 4th degree.

Survivors include his wife, Katherine; two sons, Richard M. and Christopher, and a daughter, Theresa Lynn, all of Sarasota; his mother, Marie J., and a brother, Mark Wayne, both of Ormond Beach.

A funeral Mass was held Dec. 30 at the church, which has set up a fund to assist the family.

Donations can be sent to the Lynn Family Fund at St. Raphael Church, 1376 Snell Isle Blvd. NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33704.

[Last modified January 8, 2006, 00:44:19]