INEZ M. LYNCH
FORT FAIRFIELD

Fort Fairfield – Inez (McKenney) Lynch, 95, passed away after a brief illness at a Presque Isle healthcare facility surrounded by her loving family on May 12, 2023. She was born on October 29, 1927, in Fort Fairfield where she was a lifelong resident, except for brief periods when she lived with sister Mona in Los Angeles, CA, and sister Janice in Waltham, MA. Inez was the daughter of Harrison and Anne (McCarthy) McKenney, and she was the middle child of 11 children. Inez was a communicant of the Parish of the Precious Blood, St. Denis Church, Fort Fairfield, and was a member for many years of the Daughters’ of Isabella, Santa Maria Circle No. 427, Fort Fairfield.

Inez had many fond memories of growing up on her family’s potato farm with her many siblings on the Russell Road (also known as Tory Hill) and next to her Uncle Jim and Aunt Janie, who lived next to her family on the McKenney Family farm. She remembered helping her Dad in the potato fields and had many good stories about growing up in the country – her Dad driving the school bus, which was a potato truck with a little house on the back and a woodstove in it. She remembered helping her Aunt Janie, picking apples from the trees on the farm, and visiting her aunt and uncle in summers after she had grown up and had her own family. She helped to care for her parents and uncle and aunt in their later years.

Inez graduated from Fort Fairfield High School in the Class of 1945. She worked for Sears Roebuck before marrying and having a family. While her children were growing up, she worked part-time in the late summer and fall at the Farm Labor office, where Canadian workers were hired to work on the local potato farms during harvest. Once her older children reached high school age, Inez went to work in the Receiving Dept. of the A & P Processing Plant, Fort Fairfield; later, in the office of the Plant. After the Plant closed, she went to work with Jean Sage at the Fort Fairfield Public Library where she eventually became the Librarian after Jean’s retirement. From there, she entered retirement.

Inez loved to travel, and she traveled many winters to visit with her sons and daughters in Texas, Indiana, Massachusetts, Connecticut and southern Maine. She traveled to several resorts with her children. She also had the opportunity to visit with her siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews in Texas and Mississippi as well as taking the trip of a lifetime to Ireland with her daughter, two grandchildren, and friends. Later, when investigating her family tree, she learned of her strong Irish, Scottish and northern European roots.
Inez loved to dance and play cards, especially Bridge. Up until a few months before her death, she very much enjoyed playing Bridge with a great group of people from surrounding communities in Caribou. She was, also, an avid reader.

Inez was a wonderful wife, and nurturing mother of five children, who gave her five grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and a great-great grandson. Nothing made her happier than visits with them. Many a beautiful summer day was spent sitting on the porch visiting with family and friends.

In addition to her parents, Inez was predeceased by her husband, Clement of 49 years in 1997; and one son, Brien in 2016; siblings, Wendell (Dot), Mona, Gilbert (Vescie), Gerald, Janice (George), Claire (Dominick), Joanne, Carl (Marie), Dale, and Eugene; and by her in-laws, Clarence (Rollande) Lynch, Mary (Dick) Ferland, Eugene Lynch, Edwena (John Philbrick and Richard Gagnon), Lawrence Lynch, and John Thomas.

She is survived by sisters-in-law, Rose, Nancy, and Gina McKenney, Florence and Mona Lynch, and Elaine (Lynch) Thomas; many nieces and nephews; and by her lifelong friend, Mary Milliard. Inez is survived by her daughters, Janice Fletcher, who lived with her in Fort Fairfield, Hilda (Edward Schencks, Jr.) of Buxton, sons, Clyde (Beth Chisholm) of Kittery Point, and Kevin (Linda Restifo) of Southbury, CT; grandchildren, Kristina (Brian Johnson), Brady C., and Jeremiah (Bobi-Sue) Dix, Melanie Dix, Michael (Staci) Lynch, and Danielle Lynch (Chris King); great grandchildren, Samantha Johnson, Brady N., Sr. (Chelsea Grant), Kasundra, Cameron and Hailey Dix, Ashley Welch, Karissa and Colton King; and great-great grandson, Brady N. Dix, Jr.

The family would like to extend special thanks to Horizon Health and the TAMC staff for the excellent care of our mother in recent weeks and months.

Friends may call at the Giberson-Dorsey Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 144 Main Street, Fort Fairfield on Sunday, June 25, 2023 from 6-8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, June 26, 2023 at the Parish of the Precious Blood, St. Denis Catholic Church in Fort Fairfield at 11 a.m. Internment will follow at the St. Denis Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to share refreshments and conversation at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Council No. 1753, 260 Main Street, in Fort Fairfield following the interment.

Memorial donations may be made to the Fort Fairfield Public Library, 339 Main Street, Fort Fairfield, Maine 04742 or the Daughters of Isabella, Santa Maria Circle No. 427, c/o Brandy Osterblom, 26 Elm Street, Fort Fairfield, Maine 04742. Condolences to the family may be shared at www.gibersondorseyfuneralhome.com .