Former Turf Writer, NYRA Official Patrick Lynch Dies

Patrick W. Lynch, long a turfwriter and a former vice president of the New York Racing Association, died Monday after a lengthy illness, 10 days before his 85th birthday. Lynch was a native New Yorker who, for more than three decades, was a reporter and columnist for the Hearst newspapers.

While serving in Europe with the Army in World War II, Lynch earned a Silver Star, Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts and a battlefield commission as a second lieutenant.

In 1967, Lynch joined the NYRA as its public relations director, and became vice president of public relations the following year. Lynch remained a regular in the press boxes at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga until his health began to fail last summer.

He is survived by a sister, Penelope Wilk, and a nephew. C. Robert Mendelsohn. Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.