Captain Lynn Harbour Widener, USN (Ret.) of Annapolis, MD died at home surrounded by loving family on March 20, 2023 after a valiant 5 year battle with a rare leukemia (CMML). He was 75 years old.
Lynn was born on March 19,1948 to Mattie “Katherine” Robertson and Francis “Pete” Widener of Chattanooga Tenn. Upon graduation from Brainerd High School in 1966, Lynn entered the Naval Academy sight unseen. As a member of the 17th and 29th companies, he graduated in the class of 1970 with a Bachelors Degree of Science.
Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a Navy ensign serving his country as an officer in Navy Blue and Gold, returning to his home state of Tennessee until space become available for Flight Training School in Pensacola, FL. His duties shifted up being ordered to the Surface Warfare Community in San Diego for his first deployment aboard the MAHAN (DLG-11), serving as Missile Officer in Vietnamese waters. His second Vietnam tour was as a Fire Control officer on the GRIDLEY(DLG-21), being involved in the Vietnamese evacuation and the MAYAGUEZ incident in 1975 with Cambodia. He ended his active duty as a naval instructor stationed in Newport, Rhode Island at the Surface Warfare Officers School.
Lynn transitioned to the Naval reserves in 1978, where he served within the Naval Reserve Control of Shipping rising to rank of Commanding Officer. This position took him to various NATO sites across the pond including Portugal, England, Belgium, and broader waters including South America and Diego Garcia. While working full-time at RCA in his civilian career, Lynn received his Master Degree in Business Administration from University of Maryland in 1982. He continued working for various government contractors (primarily at Logicon, Inc.) as a program manager in the Standard Missile Program. His final position was with OBXtek as a Senior Acquisition Program Analyst in support of The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.
Lynn was noted for his broad ever-present smile, love of country (an Eagle Scout and Scout troop leader), and easy going disposition unless he needed otherwise. He devoted much time and energy to the U.S. Naval Academy as class president for 10 years, member of Navy football brotherhood and serving on the Board of Trustees at the Naval Academy.
Predeceased by his parents, Lynn is survived by his wife Ann Mackie Widener (whom he was married to 51 years); two loving sons (and spouses): Chris (Deann) and Ryan (Jorie); six caring grandchildren children: Brody, Aubrey, Lilly, Avery, Madeline, and Eloise; two adorable great grandchildren, Cali and Tilly. His legacy lies with them. We know they will support the principles of their grandfather: honesty, belief of fair play and treating others with respect and kindness. Lynn is survived by two brothers Jack (Karen) and Dan (Susan).
The most special day of the year for Lynn was the Army-Navy game. Go Navy, Beat Army! Surrounded by family, friends and classmates, he would look forward to this date every year. Always fist pumping with a strong shout out of Go Navy, Beat Army!
He was organizer for numerous USNA ’70 class tailgates at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium home games and Army-Navy. He made it to almost every game in the last decade (unless medical challenges got in the way) and talked about planning for the upcoming 2024 game in Foxboro, MA right until the end. Additional interests included golf, war documentaries (particularly WWII) & old westerns, reading naval books, and watching live sports.
Service to honor and celebrate Lynn’s life will be held with a visitation on Sunday, April 2, 2023 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM at John M. Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester Street in Annapolis, MD. The Funeral Service will be held on Monday, April 3, 2023 at 11am in the Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd in Annapolis. Interment will be held at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery.
Through his medical journey the primary expertise in medical care came from Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital and Mercy Medical Center. In lieu of flowers, the family asks friends, family and classmates to consider making donations to Jorie’s Cycle for Survival fundraising page (in honor of Dr. Gyurkocza, MD) where 100% of every dollar supports pioneering research and lifesaving clinical trials for rare cancers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) such as CMML. For Mercy donations, please give in honor of Dr. David Riseberg, MD).
He wished to support these institutions to help others facing similar medical challenges or answers.
Updated: March 31, 2023
Curator: Ed Moore