Bethany A. Lynn

Bethany “Beth” Ann Lynn, 66, of Green Bay, WI, passed away on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, surrounded by her loving family after a courageous lifelong battle with Type 1 Diabetes.

Bethany, a New Year’s baby, was born on January 1, 1957, in Fort Eustis, Virginia, to Carol Jean (Sweeney) Temp and the late Jim Temp.

After her brief period in Virginia, Bethany spent the majority of her childhood in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She was the oldest of four daughters and, despite her being the shortest of them all, she will forever be remembered for her spunk and zest. While being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at ten months old, Bethany never let this crippling disease hold her back from enjoying life to the fullest.

Bethany graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy in 1975 and St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1979. While in high school, she was a candy striper at the local hospital as well as a loyal and devoted friend to those dear to her throughout the years. While meeting at Mayflower pre-school, Bethany and Tom (her future husband) were later named Homecoming King and Queen. They went on to get married on August 12, 1978, at Resurrection Catholic Church.

Over the following years, Bethany’s heart grew threefold upon the arrival of her children, Tommy, Heather, and Melissa. Becoming a mother was Bethany’s ultimate joy, and she was always present in her children’s lives; whether it was being the neighborhood taxi driver, proud (and loud) cheerleader for her children’s sporting events, or leaving encouraging daily notes in her kid’s school lunches.

She always took tremendous delight getting to know her children’s friends and would constantly open up her own home and heart to others by having her famous bean dip on the table while offering support and a listening ear.

Simply put, she had an enduring passion for children and animals. While she spent her years being a homemaker and mother, she was also a caregiver for children of family and friends at her at-home daycare on Gwynn Street. The house was routinely filled with children’s laughter and the scurrying of her four- legged friends.

Bethany’s love and devotion to her family also extended to the wider community where she, a lifelong fervent reader, worked at the Brown County Library for thirteen years. She could easily be spotted from afar somewhere near the children’s section helping a child get their first library card while wearing colorful glasses and matching festive socks. She was also a committed member of P.E.O. and Service League.

Bethany also loved making family memories. Instilled by her mother, she continued the Temp tradition of creating magic for each holiday to the fullest by always making each Christmas and birthday special. However, she also introduced her own holiday traditions, including tying a balloon to the headboard of her children’s bedframe the night before their birthday. This tradition lives on through her daughter, Heather, and her grandchildren, Miles and Maddie.

Bethany sought joy in every area of her life and despite displaying sheer will and resilience to overcome a myriad of illnesses over the years, she never complained; an attribute instilled by her late father, Jim Temp.

She will be deeply missed by her mother, Carol Jean, and her three children Tommy Lynn, Heather (Julian) Todd and their children, Miles and Madeline, and Melissa Lynn, and siblings Kelly (Dave) Doran, Polly Temp, Dr. Megan (Todd) Krempleski.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Lynn, her father, Jim Temp, her grandparents, Arthur and Bernadette Temp, and John and Marie Sweeney, and her late father and mother-in-law, Dr. Thomas and Joanne Lynn as well as all of her furry friends (that are too long to list) that she cared for over the years.

The family would like to thank her physician of 27 years, Dr. Cynthia Lasecki, Bellin Hospital, and Unity Hospice for their continued care, devotion, and advocacy.

Family and friends may call Wednesday, September 27, 2023 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Resurrection Catholic Church, 333 Hilltop Drive, Green Bay. Visitation will continue on Thursday, September 28, 2023 from 9:30 am to 10:45 am. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00am Thursday at Resurrection with Father Tom Reynebeau officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the surviving family and will be used for a cause dear to Bethany in her memory.

Cotter Funeral & Cremation Care is assisting the family.