Jimmy Lynn

On November 8, 1948, James K. and Stella Warren Lynn received a special delivery and they named him Jimmy Ray. They loved, nurtured and guided him to become a good man, one who was honest, generous, hardworking, and loving. His was a life well lived, just too short.

A 1966 graduate of Woodlawn High School, Jimmy was a proud Centenary Gent who majored in the social studies. His minor was in religion. He earned his Master’s +30 in educational media and acquired certification in administration and supervision from Northwestern State University. He was a lifelong learner.

For thirty years he worked in the Caddo Public Schools, where he mentored and molded young minds. His specialty was middle school. Students at Midway, Hollywood, and Ridgewood knew that he had their best interests at heart. He worked to provide a safe and nurturing environment for them and their teachers. Along the way, he was awarded lifetime membership in Louisiana PTA and was a finalist for Louisiana Middle School Principal of the Year.

A student of history and protector of the Constitution, Jimmy was captivated by the leadership of George Washington and gave lessons in civic responsibility by dressing in costume, complete with a fine pigtail dangling from his tricorn. Perhaps one reason for his love for George Washington was a shared passion for dogs. Jimmy knew how many, what kind, and the names of the canines at Mount Vernon. He had compassion for Martha, whose public life demanded such sacrifices. Jimmy has served at various times as an alderman for the Town of Greenwood, chairman of the Fire Board for Caddo Parish District Three, and a member of the Greenwood Water Board and Cemetery Association. The North Louisiana Civil War Round Table also captured his interest; he loved learning about the the time period and its effect on today’s United States.

Jimmy grew up loving the outdoors. He fished with his dad, gardened with his mom, rode motorcycles with his cousin Tal and an assortment of buddies. These things gave him joy. His country garden was on Le Tour des Jardins in 2012. When his wife’s Aunt Jane passed away, he acquired her garden plaque that now rests beside his front walk. It says simply: “Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man.”

Jimmy was a collector of friends from all walks of life. They were brothers from another mother, they said, loyal to the end. He also collected books, KCS memorabilia, guns, knives, dogs, just grown-up versions of his childhood toys. He loved to surprise his friends and family with unexpected gifts and not a few pranks. He loved a good laugh. He saw the flowers and not the weeds in the garden of life.

Jimmy Lynn lived a rich life and was a content man, secure within himself. We have his parents to thank for that. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Linda, his cousins Tal Walker, Jackie Vance, and Sarah Salmon. Tal’s wife Donna and their daughters Hanna and Carmelle were special to his heart. His brothers-in-law, Mike and Steve Webb, as well as his mother-in-law, Lena Webb, and his sister-in-law Teresa will forever love him.

Honoring Jimmy on his final earthly journey are pallbearers Tal Walker, Jerry Webb, Randy Stephens, Lonnie Dunn, Lane Hunnicutt and Scott Aymond. Honorary pallbearers include, but are not limited to, Jackie Vance, Jim Moran, Jim Adams, Jim Becken, Bill May, Curtis Hooks, Bill Vaughn and Mike Otwell.

Words alone will never express Linda’s appreciation for all the prayers, love and support from so many friends who made the hours at the hospital, and afterwards, bearable. Many thanks to Caddo Fire District Three, Dr. Calvin Alexander and Dr. Tim Nichols and their support staffs for their guidance and gentle care for Jimmy.

Jimmy entered this world at Tri State Hospital, at the corner of Greenwood Road and Hearne Avenue. He left this world on September 14, 2018, at Willis Knighton North, at the corner of Greenwood Road and Hearne Avenue. And so it goes...

Next time you stop and feel the breezes, or pet a dog, or find an almost dead plant to nurture, or stand in the warm drizzle of the rain, or spend time with a youngster, or pull a fish from the lake, think of Jimmy. If you get caught up in the tribulations of this world, simplify and rediscover your priorities. Read some of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, and you’ll think of Jimmy. When you find a “good deal,” snatch it up and think of Jimmy.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations may be made to Friends of LA State Exhibit, Centenary College, or the North Louisiana Civil War Round Table.