Born in Stephens County, GA, Lynn attended Lavonia High School and worked with her parents at their restaurant, City Cafe. In 1963, her parents sold City Cafe and relocated to Athens, GA, purchasing the Mayflower Restaurant (located in downtown Athens, across from the Arches) from the original owners. Lynn would work at the Mayflower on and off for many decades. In 1969, she joined her mom in another restaurant named Lynn's. It was just one block down Broad Street from the Mayflower. So, the majority of the first part of her life was in the food service industry, which she loved, and mostly because of the people. Her ability to recall orders of loyal customers from one UGA Football season to the next was unmatched. Then, there was also her beloved Friday Morning Boys, whom she looked forward to seeing weekly, and of course, all the other countless faces that made her smile.
She loved staying busy and did so with random side jobs here and there but joined the staff of the Athens Orthopedic Clinic Ambulatory Surgery Center in 2011 until the Fall of 2025. She quickly became Mama Lynn to all of her "children and Dr.'s" there too. She was a woman whose presence could light up any room and whose love reached farther than she ever realized. You could spot her from a mile away — that signature bright orange lipstick, her perfectly spiked, platinum blonde hair, and those big hoop earrings that became part of her legend.
She didn’t just enter a room — she arrived. And once she did, you knew you were about to laugh, be hugged a little tighter, and often hear “hey, guhl/dude.” Mama Lynn was truly one of a kind!
To know Mama Lynn was to be loved by her, and your life changed because of it. She never met a stranger — only friends she hadn’t talked to yet. Whether it was a quick trip to the store, a visit to the AOC waiting room with a patient’s family member, or a chance encounter that became a lifelong friendship, she had a true gift for making people feel important.
She loved big, greeted loud, gave freely of her time, her energy, and her heart until the very end. She was fierce in everything she loved: Jesus, family, friends, Elvis, work, caring for others, and last but far from least, cooking and baking.
Her personality was bigger than life; it was bold and bright, her laughter was infectious, and she was an unforgettable force. Behind her sparkle and sass was a woman of incredible compassion, faith, and strength. She showed up for her people, she cheered for them, she prayed for them, and she loved them BIG.
Mama Lynn leaves behind a legacy of laughter, kindness, and fearless self-expression. She taught us to be ourselves, to make friends wherever we go, to be spunky, to set the trends instead of following them, and to wear the bright lipstick if it makes you happy.
Though our hearts ache in her absence, we will carry her spirit with us — in every bold color, every spontaneous conversation, every act of simple, generous love, and the recipes we make from generations of great cooks.
Heaven gained a bright light, but we were blessed to have her shine here first.
She will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always loved.
Mama Lynn was preceded in death by her parents, John A. and Ollie Richardson.
She is survived by her children, Denise Kesler (Doug), DRee Church, Clemoth Church (Chris); grandchildren, Brooke Gurley (Ryan), Kayde McCain (Zach), Megan Whitworth (Josh), Jack Krohn, Luke Krohn, Madelyn Church, Mac Church, Emily Smith (Zach), Hunter Scruggs, and Wyatt Scruggs and nine great-grandchildren, Sutton, Lawson, and Barrett Gurley, Allie Grace, Annabelle and Amelia McCain, Harris, Maggie, and Brebson Whitworth.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at Bernstein Funeral Home, located at 3195 Atlanta Highway, Athens, on Sunday, February 22, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. The funeral service will follow in the Chapel of Bernstein Funeral Home, beginning at 2:00 pm with Reverends Chris Bailey and Morris Sapp officiating.
The final resting place will be at Evergreen Memorial Park Mausoleum, 3655 Atlanta Highway, Athens.
The family would like to offer a special thanks to her physicians: Dr. Ben Holland, Dr. Nehal Bhatt, Dr. David Sailors, Dr. Rene McKay, Dr. Julio Pena, and Davita Athens West Dialysis, and Athens Orthopedic Clinic Surgery Center staff and physicians that were her extended family.
Memorial contributions may be made to Freedom from Bondage, freedomfrombondage.com.
Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
