Tributes to Frank Lynn
Frank Lynn, a long standing and loved member of IWCS passed away July 4, 2007. He was never happier than when he was teaching someone the great experience of woodturning. The following tributes to Frank are from two members who knew him well.
Chuck Holder.
From Allan Schwindt
Frank was, without question, a People Person. He truly enjoyed being around people and being involved in many aspects of life. His many interests included wood and wood turning, baseball, music and his museum. Frank was friends with a lot of people and he always spoke highly of these folks. One rarely heard him speak of any of them in a negative way. He enjoyed kidding others and also being kidded. A term often heard from him was, “You dirty rat” directed at someone who had just pulled something on him.
Judi & I met Frank about 8 or 9 years ago at an arts and craft show where he was doing a demonstration on wood turning. We quickly got into a discussion about wood and that solidified the relationship from that day on. We quickly learned that he was also a very sharing person with both, his knowledge and his wood.
He taught Judi to turn later on and has been quick to share any of his wood and ideas at any time. He has also taught many others, from children to grandmothers to turn and he gained a lot of satisfaction from seeing their delight, with their first finished projects.
Frank’s special traits were:
• What you had to say was always the most important thing at that time. If someone said, “Can I tell you about…..” His reply was always, “I want to hear it.” You had his undivided attention.
• Other people’s creations were always held in high regard, whether they were wood working projects, cooking, or anything else. He made sure all received a compliment.
Frank the Auctioneer
Frank was very active in IWCS and he was the official auctioneer for more than 30 years. He really enjoyed the people in this group and has often said, “You’ll never find a better bunch of people anywhere.”
He really enjoyed being around these folks, especially when they pulled lots of tricks on him and he pulled some on them as well. If one paid attention at his auctions, you quickly learned when to bid and when not to bid. When 3 or 4 hands would go up at once, just hope you were not the last one he saw because you’d surely pay more for it than you had intended. I once paid $20 for a piece of wood on which I thought I was bidding $5. On several occasions he was successful in getting a husband and wife bidding against each other on something. He’d really have a good laugh when they discovered what had happened.
I’ve heard Frank tell the story several times about meeting a fellow who thought he recognized him, but couldn’t recall where. Frank asked, could it have been in regard to wood somewhere? This jogged the guy’s memory and he quickly said, “That’s it, you’re that damned auctioneer.”
The Flag
Frank was a very patriotic fellow and he held the US Flag in high regard. One of the few times that I saw him come close to losing his temper was when he observed someone treating our flag with disrespect. He also became agitated when our congress failed to make flag burning a punishable offense.
Some politicians thought it was an expression of their first amendment rights which didn’t fit well with his way of thinking at all.
Frank’s museum
Those of you who have been in Frank’s house will recall his museum.
He has a collection of wood items made mostly by his friends. I’m guessing that there are literally hundreds of works of art by many other people. Frank was very proud to display these works and to show them to as many others as he could.
Frank often commented about knowing the Lord and he knew where he was going after this life on earth. I once heard him comment, “If God put all this beautiful wood here on earth for us in this life, just imagine what’s going to be waiting for us in the next life.” Although he did not belong to any specific church, he read the bible often and put a lot of effort into living his life in a way that would ensure his place in heaven.
We know he is now preparing to enjoy some of the beautiful woods there, along with Rody, Romeo and a few others.
From Mavis and Max Marshall
In my humble view Frank was the epitome of what we would all like to see in IWCS members— friendly, dedicated, generous, committed, knowledgeable –—one could go on with so many desirable characteristics. Now he is no longer with us, however he will long be remembered for treasured times such as here in Melbourne prior to the Aldinga Bay meeting, and Frank’s illness during that meeting, but most of all, our full day together at the Calgary Stampede in 2000— certainly one that we will never forget. I know that many tributes will flow from IWCS members. May Frank rest in peace.
In Memory of Frank Lynn
by Larry Pulka #7406.
I met Frank at the Florida IWCS meeting some years ago. We hit it off from the start. Frank and I would swap war stories, his on WWII, and mine on Viet Nam. This story begins several years later.
In February and March, 2008 my model ships were the main attraction at the Art museum in Canton, Ohio. The wife and I then opened our museum, Blue Water Majesty Museum, in May of 2008.
As always, being between commissions, I was looking for a project I could do. About this time Before I build a model, I do extensive research on it and then order a copy of the set of original blue prints from the Navy. My research revealed I received a package from Frank Lynn. The package contained a note from Frank and a chunk of teak wood. Frank’s note stated that the piece of teak wood was from the deck of the battleship Oregon. How Frank acquired that piece of wood is a mystery to me but he further stated, that he knew I would put it to good use. I had my next project. that the Oregon was the first Battleship with 13 inch guns and therefore could shoot over the horizon. An unheard of deed in 1896 when it was built.
The Oregon has been credited with many battles the most memorable being the battle in Havana harbour during the Spanish American war.
The Oregon, single handedly, ended the Spanish American war by sinking the 11 ship Spanish Armada as they tried to flee Havana harbour. In 1956 the Oregon was sold to the Japanese as scrap metal. The Japanese would not accept the Oregon with its 4 inch thick decks of teak until they were stripped. At this point I can only assume that Frank knew someone who helped strip those A close up of the teak decking. decks.
The model is made in the plank on bulkhead construction with the planking being cherry and then painted over to simulate metal. All the pieces that are black were made from ebony. All else that is painted was constructed from poplar. The decks are made from the piece of teak wood Frank sent me. In the photo showing the full model there is a chunk of wood in front of the model. This piece of teak is what is left over from the wood Frank had sent.
Frank is gone now but his memory lives on in the model of the battleship Oregon. The model is located in our museum at Blue Water Majesty Museum at 2810 Columbus Rd. N.E., Canton, Ohio. (330-452-4330).
Full view of model with piece of teak in front of it. 
A close up of the teak decking
A tribute to Frank Lynn and the Spruce Goose
Thanks for publishing the Spruce Goose article. In July 2002 Frank Lynn and I had an exclusive tour through the plane. Frank and I became friends after the Australia meeting and tour. Frank was a very respected IWCS member for a very long time. Most travelling IWCS members do know him. He was a very good auctioneer.
When I visited Frank in 2002 we had a long and interesting ‘timber trail tour’ along the west coast. Unfortunately I never finished the article about this tour.
Maybe the picture can be placed as a tribute to Frank. The other picture shows the inisde of the Spruce Goose.
met vriendelijke groet, Tjerk Miedema.
