Clifford F. Lynch's Obituary
Clifford F. Lynch, 87, passed away on Thursday, December 21, 2023; his lengthy battle with chronic illnesses came to a peaceful resolution with his children at his side.
A proud Memphian, Cliff was born November 16, 1936. He was a graduate of the Central High School class of 1954 and then attended Memphis State University. Cliff transferred to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and while earning his degree in Logistics he moonlighted as a cameraman at ABC affiliate WATE. He later earned an MBA from the University of Chicago while working full time.
As a talented logistician and innovator, he earned new assignments and broadening responsibilities at Quaker Oats. After a promotion to headquarters in Chicago, Cliff and first wife Carolyn adopted son Michael in 1964 and daughter Kathryn in 1968, raising them in the western Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn.
Cliff was recognized for his focus on staff development during a time of rapid deregulation in the transportation industry. He created an educational board game, a training video with a game-show theme featuring actor Shelly Long (pre-Cheers), and an exchange program with Michigan State University legend Dr. Don Bowersox. He progressed through the ranks at Quaker Oats and concluded his 29-year tenure as their Vice President of Logistics. He then moved to the third-party logistics side as President of Trammell Crow Distribution in Dallas.
Cliff returned to Memphis to become President of Southern States Distribution, then the EVP of Continental Traffic Services before opening his own firm providing consulting, commercial real estate, and expert witness services. He authored articles for numerous trade journals, two books on logistics, co-authored a book on supply chain transportation, and contributed to “The Handbook of Global Supply Chain Management.” He remarried in 1998 to Jo Annette Iles.
Among his many awards for innovation, service, and industry leadership, Cliff won the Salzberg Medallion and the CSCMP Distinguished Service Award. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Tennessee Department of Marketing and Transportation.
Cliff served as Chairman of the Practitioner Counsel of the Interstate Commerce Commission, President of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and taught as Adjunct Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of Memphis. He also served on the Advisory Council to the University of Tennessee College of Business Administration, editorial review boards across the industry, as advisor to the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, and a board member Memphis Uniport Association. Cliff was the Supply Chain Executive in Residence at Epicenter, presenter for the International Warehouse Logistics Association, and was a frequent source for the Memphis Business Journal.
Service to his communities was important to Cliff. He volunteered for the Illinois Army National Guard. Years later he was elected to the town counsel of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. After returning to Memphis, he volunteered regularly at Oasis Appliance, supporting Oasis of Hope, and read books for the blind on the WYPL/FM 89.3 show Books & More, for the Memphis Public Library. Combining his love of cooking and service, Cliff even authored a cookbook “The Gourmet Logistician: An Eclectic Cookbook with A Mostly Southern Flair” as a fundraiser for the Food Bank of Memphis. He practiced his faith with the Men’s Ministry of Hope Church Memphis. When not writing or mentoring colleagues, he loved fishing, cooking, relaxing in Maui, and attending NFL games in Chicago, Dallas, and over a dozen Super Bowls.
Cliff was preceded in death by his parents Clifford S. and Louise T. Lynch, his wife Carolyn, wife Jo Annette, and his, brother-in-law Bud Little. His beloved sister Glenda Lynch Little passed just eight days after him. Cliff is survived by his son Michael, daughter-in-law Ellen, and granddaughter Haley; daughter Kathryn and granddaughters Ashleigh & Alyssa; nieces Sherri Stafford and Kim Little; sister-in-law Kathy Bryant; stepdaughter Denise and grandsons Matthew & Andrew.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 24th at 1:00 pm at Memorial Park Funeral Home located at 5668 Poplar Ave in Memphis with visitation starting at 12:30.. Service information is available via [email protected].
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Maui Strong Fund or Oasis Appliance in honor of Cliff’s “happy place” and life of service.
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