Rockwall Resident Brings Unique Experience to Housing Authority Board

(ROCKWALL, TX – Jan. 15, 2019) Rockwall Mayor Jim Pruitt has appointed decorated Vietnam War hero, Joseph P. Lynch, to the Housing Authority Board. The board oversees the dwellings set aside for elderly and needy residents in the City of Rockwall. Fifteen year Rockwall resident and local hero, Mr. Lynch, brings a unique experience as the newest appointee to the board.

One of 15 children, Joe Lynch was raised in two different housing projects in the Dorchester and South Boston neighborhoods of Boston. Rising from his humble roots, Mr. Lynch says, gives him a perspective that few others share. “I will strive to help residents in any way I can, by providing hope, motivation and vision to see that there is always a way to achieve your goals.”

Indeed, Joseph Lynch has lived a life of service. To overcome his impoverished background, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17, and he says that has made all the difference in his life. Joe was quickly deployed in Vietnam as a Helicopter Machine Gunner, where he earned four of the military’s top awards before the age of 20. Joe Lynch earned the Silver Star Medal, Purple Heart, Air Medal for Heroism, and the Army Commendation Medal for Heroism, along with many other designations.

“Some people I grew up with got involved with gangs and drugs, and Connie and I were able to escape all that,” Joe said. “The Army helped shape the person I have become, and helped put me on a path to a better future.” After recovering from wounds received in combat, Mr. Lynch joined the 82nd Airborne Division, and rose through the ranks before his retirement as Chief Warrant Officer Three. The last 11 of his 23 years of service were spent in Army Intelligence. Not one to rest on his laurels, Joe earned a master’s degree in management and a graduate-level certification in diversity from Cambridge College, then went on to begin a second illustrious career in manufacturing management.

Connie and Joe Lynch met growing up in the same housing project, and this marks 50 years of marriage for the pair. “I had jobs delivering milk and newspapers to her family,” Joe said. “We were both just kids, and even then, I knew she was the one.” Once in Rockwall, Joe began volunteering for various organizations in the area, including the Rockwall Veteran’s Court, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Lake Pointe, and the Dallas Veteran’s Court. In 2015, the Rockwall City Council honored Joe Lynch for his service by naming local street, Lynch Court, in his honor. The recognition holds a special significance for Joe, because his uncle and namesake had Joseph P. Lynch Square in Boston named in his honor after he was killed in action during World War II.

When Mayor Pruitt learned about Mr. Lynch’s background, he knew he would be a benefit to the Housing Authority Board. “There are few people who can bring his unique level of service and experience to this role,” Mayor Pruitt said. “We are fortunate to have Mr. Lynch working to help the residents of Rockwall.”

Submitted press release by Lauri Dodd, Public Information Officer / Marketing, City of Rockwall, for publication in Blue Ribbon News.

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