March 9, 2003

NLBPA.com Editors Note:

The members of the NLBPA were deeply saddened to learn of Steve’s passing.

Steve has been such a prominent and irreplaceable member of our family.

His many years of friendship and dedication have helped to further NLBPA causes immeasurably.

We are blessed and honored to have gotten to know him, for even just the short time that he spent on this earth.

We will sorely miss you!

Rest in Peace and may God Bless You.

“It’s Always A Pleasure”

Steve was also a vital member of the Irish-American community.  He served as past Chairman and was an prominent member of the Washington D.C. St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee

Read the next column for more on his background

Courtesy of “The Nation’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade” web site (www.DCStPatsparade.com)

It is with deep regret and sorrow that the Washington, D.C. St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee announces the passing of a good friend, committee member and past chairman, Stephen Peter Lynch.

A native of New Bedford Mass, the Whaling and Textile Capitals of the world, Mr. Lynch was a Vietnam War Era Veteran, a seasoned Capitol Hill staffer for almost thirty years, and an active member in the Irish community along with many other civic efforts.

As an active member of the Washington, D.C. Saint Patrick's Day Parade Committee since 1983, Steve was instrumental in getting many prominent individuals to serve as parade Grand Marshal. They include:

• U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill (1986 )
• The First Lady of the American Theater, Helen Hayes (1987)
• Lord Mayor of Dublin, Carmencita Hederman (1988).

As Chairman of the Parade (2000 - 2002), Steve expanded the parade's visibility nationally. He began with having a website created, reorganization and expanding the Committee, establishing the office of Chairman Emeritus in tribute to past parade chairmen and naming Cecilia Farley as the first Emeritus.

Mr. Lynch also organized and coordinated the Washington, D.C. parade committee's trip to Dublin, Ireland to participate in the Millennium Parade at the special invitation of Lord Mayor Hederman. It was this great flare and enthusiasm that he had that was so evident in all aspects of the parade in which he was involved. These included the numerous weekend fundraisers that led up to the parade itself, and Murphy's Irish Pubs in the District and Alexandria were some of the most anticipated. A parade fundraiser with Steve was a family event and an extravaganza usually beginning with brunch and lasting with a nightcap just before closing, after raising much needed funding that day for the Parade. Come parade day, two of his favorite tasks were being at the formation area on the Mall near 7th Street for lining up the parade participants and making sure the parade stepped off at the appointed hour. Of course, this would not have been accomplished without any of the parade committee's dedicated members, especially Murphy McHugh, who has been at Steve's side since his early grammar school days.

And Steve's participation in the Irish-American community went beyond his parade activities.

Steve was a founding member of the American Foundation for Irish Heritage with the late John O'Beirne. Since 1990, Steve served as Secretary on the Board of Directors. The American Foundation for Irish Heritage was instrumental in getting Congressional legislation passed to designate March annually as "Irish-American Heritage Month" by Presidential Proclamation.

As a young adult, Mr. Lynch was a graduate of New Bedford High School Class of 64. He graduated from Stonehill College, North Easton, Massachusetts in 1968, and served in the United States Army attaining the rank of Sergeant E-5 with Top Security Clearance and was recommended for the Seventh Army Commendation Medal. After his honorable discharge in 1970, he attended Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, in pursuit of a post-graduate degree in Political Science.

Mr. Lynch's work on Capitol Hill began in the fall of 1973, where he served as a research assistant to the Judiciary Committee/Subcommittee on Criminal Justice. There his research on the Federal Rules of Evidence, and the development of Special Prosecutor legislation were to hold the key to his future work on Capitol Hill for the remainder of his professional career. For in addition to his research duties, he also assisted in the investigations of the firing of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, the pardon of President Richard M. Nixon, and the subsequent attempt to reopen the pardon investigation. This work also included being a special assistant for the Subcommittee Chairman on the impeachment and serving as a Committee representative to the staff and security force of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller during his Vice-Presidential confirmation hearings. His other work on Capitol Hill included:

• Staff Director on the Regulatory Agencies and Export Opportunities Subcommittees (1975-1983)
• Committee on Small Business, Minority Professional Staff Member to Subcommittee on Export Opportunities and Special Small Business Problems (1984-1991)
• Committee on Small Business, Minority Staff Director (1991-1993)
• U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Small Business, Majority Director of Special Projects (1994-1996)

In 1998, after a short retirement, Steve would return to Capitol Hill to serve on the House Judiciary Committee as part of the special staff on the Impeachment investigation of President Clinton, wherein he conducted research analysis and acted as the archivist for the Committee until 2001.