Coker Cemetery Association, San Antonio, Texas

IRENE HATTIE COKER LYNCH

1908 - 2007

Irene was born Dec 30, 1908 on the Coker settlement, in San Antonio, Texas. Irene was the youngest of 10 children, and the last surviving child of Fannie (Hatch) and John Harrison Coker. Her Great Grandfather, Joseph, was brother to John “Jack” Coker, who received a land grant for serving in the Battle of San Jacinto. Of the 1920 acres he received, the descendants donated several acres to be designated for the church, cemetery, and school. Her family went to church every Sunday at Coker Methodist Church. Irene was President of the Epworth League, the young adult church group. She went to the Coker Country School from first to eighth grade. She also attended Alamo Heights High School.

In the 1920's she went to work at Kress's Store in downtown San Antonio where she met David Lee Lynch. They were married Sept 21, 1928 at the Municipal Auditorium, when she was 19 years old. After they married, Irene stayed at home. They had 2 sons.

In the late 1940's, Irene went back to work as a saleswoman at the Vogue Department Store on Houston Street, in shoes, lingerie, and corsets for a few years. She was known as the best "fitter" in town. Later she went to work at Joske's downtown on Commerce Street. She worked there for about 20 years until 1968. The last few years she was at the North Star Mall Joske's. After they both retired, they moved down to the coast near Rockport in 1970. At first they rented then built their home.

Her hobbies included cooking, sewing, crafts, fishing, hunting, gardening, and reading (mystery, romance novels, and magazines). She was a great cook. All her cooking was from scratch and she still used a one-handled rolling pin from her mother, Fannie. Her crafts and sewing were meticulously made. In the 1970's she hand-made quilts for all 5 granddaughters. She was an immaculate housekeeper.

Church was always very important. She went to Coker Methodist growing up, then took the boys to Denver Heights Methodist (now a community center). David was not a church-goer. After he died, she started going back to church again at the First Methodist in Rockport, where she was an active member. She was chairperson of the craft bazaar for a while.

When Irene and her sister, Dorothy, were both widows, they took several trips together in the 1970's. They went on a Bahamas and Caribbean cruise, and driving through Colorado and Yellowstone Park.

Irene was widowed at age 69. She remained active and independent. She continued to drive and do her own yard work until she was in her 90's. In January of 2001, she moved to a residential home in Rockport. Meals and activities were provided. When she required more care, she moved to the nursing home across the street in 2005. She passed away May 10th, 2007 at age 98 years old. She is survived by 2 sons, David and wife Helen, Eugene and wife Jo; grandchildren Linda, Margie, Sharon, Jody, Judy; great grandchildren Boone, Ryan, Cavin, Tyler, Lauren.

Prepared by Judy Lynch - 05/2007