Obituary of Lynn M. Hyland

Lynn Michele Hyland passed away on August 29, 2018 after facing a recurrence of cancer with great courage.   The beloved first born of James F. and G. Vivian Hyland, Lynn was born in New York City in 1946 and was baptized in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. After the family moved to upstate NY, Rensselaer County, she grew up at Nassau Lake. She attended Nassau School, Columbia High (class of ’64) and Hudson Valley Community College, graduating in 1966. 

Lynn is survived by her sister Janis Hyland (William Astor), brother, Ted Hyland (Kimberly), nephew, Tyler Hyland and Tyler’s mother, Suzanne Spenziero Hyland.  She is also survived by Bolster and Hyland cousins from New York to Colorado to Hawaii and by her sweet and thoughtful aunt, Ann Collins, as well as life-long friends Patty Gandarillas and Ed and Carol Gandarillas.  Lynn will be fondly remembered by her dear friends including Linda Laraway, Cheryl Ginsberg Smith, and Keith Prior and Dan Mooney. Her cat Pudge, adopted from Mohawk-Hudson Animal Shelter, has been her ever-loyal companion. 

Lynn is predeceased by her parents, James Francis and G. Vivian Hyland, by grandparents, Gertrude Allenbrandt-Bolster and James Bolster; Anna and Col. James F. Hyland; by her godmother, Rosalie Teague Gandarillas; by fellow baby-boom cousin and childhood buddy,  Richard Little; cousin Rita Bolster Walsh, by all of her aunts and uncles from her mother’s Bolster family of 14 children as well as by Aunt Betty (Hyland) Damron and Uncle Bob and Aunt Liz Hyland. She is also pre-deceased by her niece, Kristina Hyland. 

Lynn had a spirit of adventure.  She lived in Alaska after driving to Anchorage in the late 1960s. In the mid-70s she worked in Washington state at Sunnyside General Hospital as office manager and computer programmer. Returning to Nassau in the 1980s, Lynn enjoyed riding her motorcycle and connecting with friends.  She was brilliant with numbers and also extraordinarily gifted with handiwork (macrame, crochet). She learned to use a sewing machine at an early age and sewed clothes for her dolls, herself and others.  Lynn’s gift-wrapping was so artful that one did not want to open the gift!  A matching card would feature her impeccable handwriting.  Ever thoughtful, Lynn remembered birthdays and special occasions with flowers and notes.  Friends and family share stories about finding an FTD box on the doorstep; opening it to find lovely blooms from Lynn.   Lynn was also the family archivist, assembling a notebook with the family tree, pictures and anecdotes.  Her brother and sister will dearly miss the big sister who could recall with precision family stories and important dates. 

Known locally for volunteer work, Lynn coordinated the annual street fair in Nassau from 1983-1994.  She also helped her mother Vivian run the Elm Tree Card Shop. Lynn excelled at making cards, posters and newsletters using her computers.  Through her business, Hyland Data Processing, she taught bookkeeping and computer skills.  Many who work in those fields today credit Lynn as their teacher. 

Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Thomas Mooney Funeral Home, 11 Elm St., Nassau, NY 12123 from 2:00-4:00 PM on Saturday, September 22, 2018.  A gathering will follow at the family home at Nassau Lake. 

Should you wish to remember Lynn through a donation, she volunteered and taught computer science at the Nassau Free Library, 18 Church St., Nassau, NY 12123 and most recently she was given loving hospice care at Isaiah House at 71 Prince Street, Rochester, NY 14605.  Flowers as gifts were treasured by Lynn and are welcome!