At the time of his death on Tuesday morning, Ray Lynn, 98, was a patron of the Glen Innes Show Society and Legacy, and was a past patron of the Glen Innes RSL sub-branch.

Born on January 20, 1910, he attended the local Grahams Valley school and then, briefly, Glen Innes High School until leaving, aged 14, to work on the family’s properties ‘Spring Vale’, ‘Fern Hill’ and ‘Strathmore’.

When his father died suddenly in 1929, 19-year-old Ray, with the help of his elder sister Elvessa, stepped in to help parent his younger siblings as well as run the properties. He joined the Masonic Lodge, the Pastoral and Agricultural Society, and played rugby league for Glen Innes between 1920 and 1939. In 1941 drew ‘Geralla’ in a family ballot when his late father’s estate was finalised. That same year, he joined the Australian Infantry Forces. He later served in the Armoured Division in the battlefields of New Guinea. In July 1943 he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery when his tank was the last to keep fighting a Japanese attack. Suffering shrapnel wounds and malaria, he was sent to Redbank Hospital in Brisbane, where he met Army Nurse Joan Larkins, whom he married the following year.

With his late brother Eric he was one of several who founded what is now the Services Club in 1948.

After the war he applied fertiliser, established pasture and bred quality livestock to improve ‘Geralla’, where he and Joan brought up four children.

He was at one time president (and a co-founder) of the Glen Innes Pony Club and Polocrosse Club; was a respected judge at shows and contributed greatly to the P and A (later Show) Society, and was a board member of the Glen Innes Pastures Protection Board from 1960-70. In 1977 the couple moved to Glen Innes, but after five years, semi-retired to ‘Cherry Tree’, just south of Glen Innes, a property acquired 19 years earlier.

Mr Lynn’s passion for his livestock continued until his death; he rode a horse until he was 81 and was still riding a quad bike around the farm a few months ago. He also played bridge and bowls, winning many prizes in competition pairs.

Mr Lynn was predeceased by his wife Joan, who died on July 5. He is survived by his sister Heather Abbott; children Geoff, Bronwen, John, Philip and their spouses; 10 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. His funeral will be held at the Cameron Memorial Uniting Church (not Holy Trinity Anglican Church) on Saturday, at 11am.

tim hughes