Mr. Francis J. Lynam, 69, an Archbishop Carroll guidance counselor and a basketball standout from Carroll’s Class of 1973, passed away in his Phoenixville home on New Year’s Eve surrounded by family and friends.
Mr. Lynam, who was recently inducted into Carroll’s sports hall of fame, is widely regarded as a legend on the hilltop. He is known for his keen sense of humor as well as the unparalleled care and incomparable kindness he provided for his students and coworkers.
After his high school graduation, Mr. Lynam went on to play basketball and eventually graduate from Lehigh University with an English degree before joining the Carpenters Union #465 of Chester County, where he worked for ten years before returning to school, this time at Immaculata University, to earn his teacher certification.
Mr. Lynam began his teaching career at St. Patrick’s grade school in Malvern, where he taught sixth through eighth graders and helped coach the Catholic Youth Organization basketball team for the better half of nine years. Coaching was something Mr. Lynam picked up in the wake of kidney failure that stopped him from playing basketball during college. Despite the setback, he never let go of the passion for the game.
In 2014, Mr. Lynam made the move to Carroll, where he became an assistant basketball coach under head coach Paul Romanczuk while also working as a college advisor in the guidance department. Mr. Lynam worked in the guidance department until just months ago.
“He was the most generous person I knew,” said Ms. Marguerite DiMattia, Carroll’s director of guidance. “He’d do anything for you. He was not only my colleague but a good friend and I could rely on him for anything.”
Making friends was something Mr. Lynam never struggled with. Whether it be students, fellow faculty, coaches, or parents, Mr. Lynam left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
“Fran was invaluable to us at Archbishop Carroll over the last ten years,” said Principal William Gennaro. “Whether it be working with students in guidance, helping with the basketball team, or leading projects like creating the trophy case outside of the East gym, his work was always to better our students and what they had.”
Mr. Lynam truly never stopped caring and working to improve Carroll in any way he could for students. He worked through his illness, still checking and responding to students’ college emails while in the hospital and at home during his convalescence.
“Fran’s ‘you only live once’ mindset was contagious,” said assistant principal Allison Papantoniou. “As a former athlete, he brought a team spirit and energy to everything he did. As a guidance counselor, he always was ready to listen and guide the students at Carroll.”
A funeral Mass for Mr. Lynam will be held at St. Denis Church in Havertown on Tuesday at 11am. School is closed Tuesday to provide ample opportunity for students and faculty to attend.
