Obituary of Lynne Tronsdal

Lynne Tronsdal passed away suddenly on August 1, 2014. She was a very young 70 years old. Lynne was born November 3, 1943 in Chippewa Falls, WI. Lynne's life was an amazing journey that took her all over the world before coming to Tucson. Everywhere she went, she left behind a legacy of love and kindness. After spending the first part of her adulthood as a military wife stationed in various locales in Europe and the US, Lynne took a courageous leap of faith when she moved with her young son, Tommy to Eau Claire, WI. At the time of this move, Lynne didn't have a job or even a driver's license. After finding a job working as a secretary, Lynne took her next amazing step starting college at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire while working full-time and raising a son by herself. Through hard-work, determination and a lot of brains, Lynne graduated at the age of 39 near the top of her class in only 3½ years. It was a tough journey for her, but she loved every minute of it. Lynne's next leap of faith was moving her and Tommy to Tucson in 1983 to begin graduate school at the University of Arizona. After completing her Master's Degree in Organizational Communication, Lynne was hired as an Assistant Dean for the College of Fine Arts at the UA. Over the next 22 years, Lynne made an indelible mark on her "kids" on the campus. She spoke to thousands of parents at Freshman Orientation as they prepared to let their children start their college lives. She was a source of strength and encouragement for these parents. As part of this responsibility, Lynne was active in the creation, design and construction of the Integrated Learning Center. Its creation and mission was the culmination of her many years on campus. Her legacy will live on in each of the freshmen who receive tutoring or seek assistance from the many resources of the ILC. The final stage of Lynne's journey was retirement. She spent the past few years doing what she always wanted - spending time with her grandson, caring for her mother and trying new things. Just this year, Lynne started riding her bike every day and even completing challenging ropes courses with UA football players over 50 years her junior. Lynne will be missed by her family, friends and colleagues. Her laugh was infectious, her generosity boundless and her devotion to her family was unmatched. She loved her morning bike rides, going to the movies and attending UA sporting events. Most of all, she loved her family. She will be missed by all of us. Lynne is survived by her mother, Mayme; her son, Tommy (Amanda) and grandson, Mac and her sisters, Mary, Janie (Carl), Kathy (Jim) and brother, Peter (Sue). Special friends, Fr. Art Craig and Patti Ota. In lieu of flowers, Lynne would want donations made in her honor to the Hydrochepalus Association (www.hydroassoc.org). Services will be held Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at BRING'S BROADWAY CHAPEL.