Frederick (Bill) William Lynch, 85, of Glendale, Arizona, passed away peacefully on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024. Bill was born on August 4, 1938, in Cainsville, Missouri. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Donna Lee Lynch, two daughters, Cindy Ratkovich and husband Jeff, and Wendy Baker and husband Jim, two grandsons, Justin Ratkovich and wife Amanda, and Spencer Ratkovich and wife Amanda, two great-granddaughters, Amelia Ratkovich and Riley Ratkovich, sister Jane New and husband Tom, and brothers Jim Lynch and wife DeDe Rhodes, Joe Lynch and wife Lonna Nachtigal, and John Lynch and wife Lee.
Bill grew up in Missouri, and later moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he attended Catonsville High School and Christian Temple. It was at Christian Temple that he met his high school sweetheart Donna, who also attended Catonsville High School.
After graduating high school, Bill attended college at Missouri School of Mines (now known as Missouri University of Science and Technology), in Rolla, Missouri, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Bill served in the U.S. Army Reserve and later returned to Rolla to teach at the university while earning his master’s degree in electrical engineering. Bill and Donna were married on January 26, 1960, and that summer the newlyweds moved to parts unknown in the desert of Phoenix, Arizona, where he began his long and successful engineering career.
Bill’s first twenty plus years were spent in Sperry’s Defense Division, where he and his colleagues were awarded several patents for their work which included creating a “black box” remote-control system, fondly dubbed “Leroy Brown,” to turn surplus F-102 fighter aircraft into unmanned drones for testing of emerging missile technologies at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
After his time in the Defense Division, Bill’s expertise, creativity and skills were further recognized and expanded when he became involved in the initial development and certification of the Sperry Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), now known worldwide as a vital instrument for preventing mid-air collisions in commercial aviation. Bill was so integral to this project that he became well-known as “Mr. TCAS,” and he traveled the world overseeing TCAS installations, reviewing certification documents, and searching for the world’s most decadent chocolate desserts. Many a story has been told on how Bill’s search for chocolate often involved late night drives, on dark country backroads, in foreign countries. He was not only known for his engineering smarts, but was respected for his ethics and integrity, both at work and among family and friends.
In 1962, Bill and Donna welcomed daughter Cindy, and in 1967, daughter Wendy. They became grandparents in 1993 and great grandparents in 2019. Bill was a long-time choir member at First Christian Church of Phoenix, a trombone player for over 50 years, an aficionado of vintage cars and car restoration, and a known “fix-it” guy wherever he went. After retiring, Bill, Donna, and their dachshund, Pretzel, spent summers in the mountains in their RV, making friends and enjoying life.
Bill Lynch will forever be remembered as the archetype of a true gentleman: patient, kind, supportive, generous, hard-working, wise, and above all, honorable. He lived according to his deeply-held Christian faith, quietly setting the example for all who encountered him. Whatever his physical challenges, we know that he is now whole and happy with Jesus.
A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Christ’s Church of the Valley, 7007 W. Happy Valley Road, Peoria, AZ 85383, building 400. A reception will be held following the service.
In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial contribution to the charitable organization of your choice.
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