Lifelong Burbank resident, news editor and active community member dies
News editor, educator and lifelong Burbank resident Stan Lynch passed away of natural causes on Jan. 3. He was 69.
Lynch was born on Nov. 23, 1944, in Burbank and lived in the city all his life.
He graduated from John Burroughs High School in 1963 — the year John F. Kennedy came to the high school’s prom, where Lynch was able to meet him, according to Ross Benson, vice president of the local news website, myBurbank.com, where Lynch was managing editor. Benson, Lynch’s close friend, spoke on behalf of the family.
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FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Lynch was 68 and born in 1945. He was 69, and born in 1944. The original version also stated that Lynch received his bachelor’s degree in art from Cal State University Northridge, but he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degree from the school, with his master’s degree in art.
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Lynch received his bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in art from California State University, Northridge, and began working as a freelance reporter for the Burbank Daily Review after graduating, according to Benson.
He went on to write obituaries for the Daily Review, along with covering sports and other beats. Aside from his work with newspapers, he was also known as the “Button Man” for the political buttons he made and sold, Benson said.
Lynch also worked periodically for the city’s personnel department and was active in many City Council election campaigns, but his true passion remained in writing, Benson said. Since 2010, Lynch had served as the managing editor of myBurbank.com.
Craig Sherwood, who started working with Lynch at the Burbank Daily Review, said Lynch was a mentor to him and taught him the importance of accuracy and having good news sources.
“I’ve known him for over 30 years and he’s always been the guy who wanted to help other people,” Sherwood said. “Besides that, he also had the passion for being a newsperson. He enjoyed knowing what was going on all the time. He heard a siren and it piqued his interest.”
Lynch was an active volunteer in the city, serving as a board member of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn. in the late 1970s and continuing his involvement as a decorator and tour guide for float viewers, and he was a member of the Little White Chapel Christian Church in Burbank. according to Benson.
Though he was known to the community for his many roles — editor, substitute teacher for the Burbank Unified School District, volunteer and an active grandfather helping to raise his two granddaughters — friends say one of his most memorable titles was as the “yard sale master” of Burbank.
Every Friday night for years, Lynch would compile a list of all the yard sales going on around the city and send it out to friends and community members, recalled Janet Diel, president of the Burbank Coordinating Council and Lynch’s longtime friend.
“It was fun because we’d all go yard-saling — we’d take $5 and go to a bunch of different places then meet at Taco Bell for lunch,” Diel said. “He never failed to post a list.”
Diel worked with Lynch on projects for the Coordinating Council, and for the PTA at Thomas Edison Elementary, where Lynch’s two granddaughters attended school.
Lynch was recently involved in preparing baskets for the Council’s holiday basket drive, and on several occasions scoured the city for residents in need of baskets or other donations and delivered the items personally, she said.
“He didn’t have it easy growing up himself and he wanted life to be better for his child and other children,” Diel said. “He didn’t have a million dollars, but he had a million friends.”
Lynch is survived by his son, Steven, and two granddaughters, Savannah and Madison.
Funeral arrangements are pending, but friends and family have started an online campaign to raise money for the services. Visit www.gofundme.com/61o3uw for more information.
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Follow Sameea Kamal on Twitter: @SameeaKamal.
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