'Laurel' Jeanne Lynch

"Laurel" Jeanne Lynch passed away on Aug. 25, 2007, at the Boundary County nursing home in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held today, Aug. 30, 2007, at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Bonners Ferry, with private internment at a later date.

Mrs. Lynch wrote her own obituary. It follows here and is written in first person.

I was born Nov. 14, 1918, and it was way too cold to fish that day.

My mother, Kate Wade Schneckloth, and my father, Emil Schneckloth, decided right there and then that I was the last of the siblings to be.

Violet was the only sister they gave me and has now passed on. Merle was the oldest brother and has also passed, and Gus, at a wondrous 92 years young, now lives in Sacramento, Calif., with his oldest daughter.

But back to me. After graduation I worked in Seattle for the telephone company during World War II, and also at a chiropractor's office. Then I met the love of my life, Rolfe Davis Hottell.

I married Rolfe in 1947 and I was so fortunate to have my children with him. They are Jim Hottell (now deceased), Bob (Betty) Hottell of Curlew, Wash., and Jan (Jim) Meneely, living in Kootenai, Idaho.

We then happily made the next two additions to our family: Dave (Jeannette) Hottell, living in Emmett, Idaho, and Beth (Ray) Holmes, lives in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

What a household we had. Somehow we found time to fish. Rolfe passed away in 1957.

It took years, but I finally found a new fishing and living partner in Leonard Lynch; we married in 1967.

He added to my children with his. They are Maurice Lynch, who lives in Jacksonville, Fla., and Claire Long who passed away last year.

My goodness seven children and they all gave me many grandchildren. I will tell you about them later.

While I lived in Sandpoint, Idaho, I worked for the Sandpoint News Bulletin as a teletypist, then worked for Pete Thompson when he decided to start the Sandpoint Daily Bee, and finally retired after working for City Hall.

In the meantime I fished. I retired in 1971 and we moved to Bonners Ferry where I gained so many good, good friends and I fished.

Leonard passed on in 1979. I was fortunate to then have my grandson, David Holmes, become my fishing and traveling partner.

My first real illness was viral pneumonia in 1984. I never really recovered from that time on, but I still fished whenever possible. My children were always there for me.

My son Dave Hottell and his wife took me in for several years until I became strong enough to return home to my North Idaho.

For the last several years, I have not been able to fish, but I still have had many stories. Some say I have had a terrific sense of humor, but most of all I want all to know my love of my family and friends.

Oh yes, the family I was going to tell of my grandchildren: Bobby Dale Hottell, Carrie Carlson, Jacque Turner, Jeri Colin, Julie Halliday, Jennifer Watts, David James Hottell, Angelique Kursman, Nerissa Frahm, Justin Holmes, and David Ray Holmes. These all are my angels and they have been kind enough to give somewhere around 24 great-grandchildren and I believe even a few great-great- grandchildren.

What a blessed life I have had, but on Aug. 25, 2007, my daughter Jan said those before me are planning a party for me. I hope we go fishing.