Carolyn Hoff Lynch (''née'' Carolyn Ann Hoff; August 26, 1946 – October 1, 2015) was an American philanthropist and

contract bridge Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking game, trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two Team game, competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each othe ...

multi-national and gold medal world champion.

Philanthropy

Lynch, along with her husband

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

, co-founded the Lynch Foundation in 1988, and served as its chairman and president. The Lynch Foundation, valued at $125 million, gave away $8 million in 2013 and has made $80 million in grants since its inception. The Foundation supports education, religious organizations, cultural and historic organizations, hospitals, and medical research. The Lynches give money primarily in five ways: as individuals, through the Lynch Foundation, through a Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, and through two charitable trusts. The Lynches have made gifts as individuals, donating $10 million to Peter Lynch's alma mater,

Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...

, naming the School of Education after the family.

Bridge accomplishments

Lynch was a Grand Life Master in the

American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a governing body for contract bridge in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. It is the largest such organization in North America having the stated mission "to promote, grow and sustain the ...

and was a five-time national and a gold medal world champion.

Wins

Keohane North American Swiss Teams The Keohane North American Swiss Teams bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championships, North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Keohane North American Swiss Teams is a six s ...

(3) 2008, 2009, 2014 * Baze Senior Knockout Teams (1) 2009 *

Roth Open Swiss Teams The Roth Open Swiss Teams is a North American bridge championship Swiss Teams event held at the summer American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a governing body for contract bridge in the United States, Canad ...

(1) 2013 * d’Orsi Senior Trophy (1) 2013

Runners-up

(1) 2006 *

(1) 2012 * Baze Senior Knockout Teams (2) 2013, 2014

Personal life

Carolyn married Peter Lynch on May 11, 1968 and they moved to

Marblehead, Massachusetts Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, along the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town lies on a small peninsu ...

, in 1970. Together, they raised three daughters: Mary, Annie, and Elizabeth. Carolyn died at age 69 in October 2015, from complications of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...

. The ''

Nova A nova ( novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white ...

'' documentary episode "Black hole apocalypse" (2018) that aired on January 10, 2018 was dedicated in her memory.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lynch, Carolyn 1946 births American contract bridge players Wharton School alumni 2015 deaths 20th-century American philanthropists