David William Lynch

David William Lynch was born to William Joseph Lynch and Eleanor Elizabeth (Fouratt) Lynch on July 14, 1932 in Rochester NY. He graduated from Ithaca (NY) High School in 1950 followed by graduation from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1954, where he was a member of the Rensselaer Society of Engineers. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Illinois in 1958.

He married Joan Hill on August 29, 1954. He spent the next year as a Fulbright grantee in Italy at the University of Pavia and began his career at Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory in the fall of 1959.

Dave was named Distinguished Professor in 1985, was Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy (1985-90) and Director of ISU’s Microelectronics Research Center (1995-99). In the spring of 1984, he served as Acting Associate Director, Synchrotron Radiation Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a visiting scientist of the Italian National Research Council at the University of Rome in the spring of 1969 and a guest professor at the University of Hamburg in the summer of 1974.

Starting in 1968 he was an early user of synchrotron radiation as a source of ultraviolet and soft x-rays. He served on several national and international committees prior to the construction of several facilities for the production of synchrotron radiation in the US and Italy. A number of his former graduate students and postdoctoral visitors had, or started, their careers at such facilities in the US, Italy, Taiwan, and South Korea. He mentored over 40 graduate students and 5 postdoctoral research associates and enjoyed following the subsequent careers of many of them. He co-authored one book, authored or co-authored five book chapters, and, with colleagues, published about 200 refereed papers. He retired in 2003 but continued working on his research interest in optical properties of solids.

He was a fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the Des Moines Torch Club.

Dave’s first wife, Joan, died November 11, 1989. They were married for 35 wonderful years and had three children together. He was fortunate to find his second love in Glenys Bittick, who was also widowed. They were married on November 14, 1992 and just celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary.

He enjoyed many years of hiking and skiing in Colorado. Hiking up Buckskin pass in the Maroon Bells area in Aspen, Colorado was a special hike that he did many times with family & friends. He learned to ski at age 40 and loved winter ski trips to Snowmass Colorado. Even after retiring from skiing, he still fondly remembered in detail the runs down the mountain.

Travel was always a passion. He learned both Italian and German. Pavia, Trieste and Rome were regular destinations in Italy where he shared many dinners with his close Italian friends and their families after days visiting historic sites. He spent a year in Hamburg Germany in 1969 followed by many subsequent visits to Germany, France, and almost every European country. Asian travel included multiple trips to China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. He had the honor of traveling extensively throughout China while attending physics conferences and collaborating with colleagues. Other lifelong passions included reading science, history, and literature along with listening to classical and jazz music.

Dave is survived by his wife, Glenys Bittick Lynch of West Des Moines; his children, Jean (Stephen) Christofferson of Novato CA, Rick (Linda) Lynch of Moab, UT, David (Ann) Lynch of Winona MN; his stepson Craig (Paula) Bittick of West Des Moines; his grandchildren Stephanie (Thomas) Amberg of San Francisco, CA, Benjamin (Amanda) Christofferson of San Francisco, CA, Ethan (Scout) Lynch of Rochester, MN, Megan (William) Lynch of Omaha, NE; his step-grandchildren, Courtney (Ben) Fox, Stephen Bittick, Joseph Bittick (Arielle), Derek (Kristine) Bittick, his step-great-grandchildren Madilyn, Callan, Quinnlyn, Camille, Evelyn, and Beatrice, all of the Greater Des Moines area.

Dave was preceded in death by both parents, his brother Robert (Terri) Lynch of Simi Valley, CA, his first wife, Joan Hill Lynch, and his stepson Scott Bittick.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Iowa Public Radio, The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Project for Government Oversight or Common Cause.

The family would like to thank the entire staff at Edgewater and Suncrest Hospice for their professional and compassionate care for Dave.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00pm on Monday, November 25, 2024 in the Events Center at Edgewater Retirement Community, 9225 Cascade Avenue, West Des Moines, IA 50266 with visitation from 1:00-2:00 pm. There will be a dessert reception immediately following the service.

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