Bradley Joseph Lynch

     Bradley Joseph Lynch, was born on April 30, 1963, in Charles City, Iowa.  Brad grew up in Spencer and graduated from Spencer High School in 1981, participating in baseball and wrestling, later playing for the Spencer Cardinal baseball team.  Brad loved the outdoors hunting and fishing from the age of 6, spending many hours on his grandparent’s farm north of Dickens with a BB gun and going down to the creek to fish.  Brad ran a trap line while in high school, going out early in the morning to check and set traps and again after school.  Brad enjoyed walleye fishing and from the age of 8, he and his dad went with Clint Stille and his son, Bruce, to Minnesota and then Lake Lac Seul, Canada, where he also took his grandparents, Bernard and Norma Galbraith, so they could enjoy the great outdoors of Canada that Brad grew to love.  For 21 years, Brad and longtime friend, Robb Peters, fished Lake Erie catching trophy walleyes.  The last 10 years, Brad’s son, Wesley, and Robb’s son, Trevor, added to the enjoyment of those memorable trips.  While in Sioux Falls, Brad was on a trap shoot team, where he excelled, winning many events and qualified for state competition.

     Brad was a carryout at Fareway while in school.  After graduation, he became the Dairy Department manager.  Brad made many friends while working there including lifelong hunting and fishing friend, Rick Peterson.

     Brad moved to Arizona to sell cars, beginning a lifelong career in the automobile industry in sales and finance, which is where he spent most of his working years with a reputation as being one of the best finance people in the industry.  Brad’s career as a finance manager in the automobile industry took him to Sioux Falls and Rapid City, SD, Albert Lea, MN, then finally McCloskey Motors in Colorado Springs, CO.  It was in Colorado Springs that Brad was diagnosed with cancer on April 18, 2023.  Brad was a longtime member of Ducks Unlimited, and the NRA.

     On July 21, 2005, Brad was blessed with the birth of his son, Wesley.

     Brad is survived by his son, Wesley, his parents, Dave and Sharyl Potratz, sister Tamara (Jeff) Summers of Holly Springs, NC, and brother Rod Potratz of Laguna Beach, CA, and many loving relatives.

     Brad passed away at the age of 60 years and 35 days on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at the Spencer Hospital.  Brad was preceded in death by his biological father, Roger Lynch, grandparents, Bernard and Norma Galbraith and Herbert and Ruth Potratz.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Brad Lynch to Avera Hospice in Spencer or the Clay County Fair Charitable Trust.