Merrill Lynn
Merrill Lynn ’48, 93, passed away on Sunday, November 3, 2024 at his home. He was the husband of the late Lydia Lynn.
Merrill Lynn, recently of Morton, PA, passed away at home with his loving family by his side on Sunday, November 3, 2024, 17 days short of his 94th birthday. He was predeceased by Lydia T. Lynn, his wife of 64 and a half years.
Merrill was born in White Deer, PA to Joy and Mary Lynn. Mary died in childbirth when Merrill was 3, and he and his older brother Alex were sent to the Hershey Industrial School for Boys when Merrill was 5. Now known as the Milton Hershey School, this decision would change his life forever, as it still does for hundreds of disadvantaged children every year. Merrill graduated from the Hershey school in 1948 and graduated Hershey Jr. College in 1950. He attended Bucknell College for one year before he ran out of money, and enlisted in the Air Force. While there, he spent 14 months of active combat duty in the Korean War as an airplane mechanic and was there when the truce was signed. After leaving the Air Force, he returned to Bucknell where he did what he described as the best thing he did in his life – he met Lydia Ann Tiemann whom he married in 1957. He also got his BS in Chemistry in 1956. After Bucknell, he attended the University of Florida where he graduated with a Ph.D in Chemistry and Philosophy in 1961.
Professionally, Merrill worked as a research and development Chemist for Dow Chemical in the summers of 1955 and 1956, ESSO (now Exxon) from 1961-1969, and Corning, Incorporated from 1970 – 1995. Over the course of his career he received 9 patents and was recognized for developing 26 products which continue to change the world today. He helped pave the Information Super Highway, developing the coating that made the handling and installation of fiber optic cable possible; he developed the first troponin test, making it possible to identify whether someone had a heart attack, and Vacutainer test tubes which make collecting and testing blood samples safer, easier, and more accurate. He developed the ceramic substrate for the catalytic converter, making the world a cleaner, greener place. He even helped develop Saran Wrap and blister packaging. Outside of his normal employment, he discovered why sometimes beer leaves a foam lacing on the inside of glasses, an effect called crizzling, figured out why stained glass windows in Europe were deteriorating, and restored ancient glassware currently on display at the Corning museum of Glass after the 1972 flood.
If that were all he did, that would have been more than enough, but he lived by the motto “to those who much is given, much is expected”. Determined to do something about the catastrophic flooding that almost destroyed the town of Big Flats in 1972, he started a life-long project to ensure that it would not happen again. He began in the Park Commission in 1974 and was the chairman from 75-78. He became a member of the town council in 1978 and was Supervisor from 1996-2002. In that time he passed ordinances that removed all permanent structures from the flood plain, created parks to act as water collection points in every neighborhood, created an access point for the river, and helped conduct a flood study that went on for at least 50 years. He was a force that even Mother Nature had to reckon with.
And again, if that were all he did that would be more than enough, but he never stopped giving back. Starting in 1971, he and Lydia opened their home to 15 exchange students and countless other people from closer to home who needed their help and support. His hands were always out to help, to support, or even just to give gifts.
As a member of the Lions Club from 1971 to present, he was always volunteering, including running the chicken barbeque for Community days for many years, a chicken bbq that Charlie Daniels once said was the best he had eaten in his whole life.
From 1989 – 2015 he was a member of the Chemical Hazards Information Team and Environmental Emergency Services board. In 1999 he turned his attention to the Clemens Center Board, and in 2002 he joined the board of Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum where he would serve as the Board President from 2005 – 2010. In 1997 he received the Milton Hershey Alumni of the Year Award, which in many ways was the greatest honor of his life.
What has not been captured here, and would be impossible to capture in many ways, was his quick wit, his sharp sense of humor, his love of art and music, and the impish twinkle in his eye. I will close with a paraphrase of the last words he wrote from his Final President’s Perspective for Tanglewood.
He was a wonderful friend, and a wonderful nut.
Merrill is survived by his daughter, Katherine (Michael Broggy) Lynn of Morton, PA; son, Alexander Lynn of Dallas, TX; granddaughter, Juliette Hannah Lynn of Denver, CO; A celebration of Merrill’s life will take place on Sunday, December 29, at Tanglewood Nature Center from 11am to 3pm. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that you make a donation to The Southern Poverty Law Center, Philabundance, or Tanglewood Nature Center. Arrangements are with James D. Barrett Funeral Home.