Gatley, Patricia Ann
Patricia Ann “Judy” Lynch Gatley 75 years old, of Aetna, Tennessee, became infinite and joined her late son Alan William Gatley on June 14, 2021.
Judy was born in Hohenwald at the Boyce Clinic on February 21, 1946. She was the daughter of the late Cpl James Harold Lynch who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Korean War and the late Ruth Simmons Baker. Judy got her nickname and was mostly known as Judy because she had a younger cousin named Patricia Ann as well. She was raised by her beloved grandparents Otto “Pappy” and Lova “Mammy” Lynch of Aetna. There was a younger cousin named Patricia Ann Lynch as well, so their grandpa, Otto Lynch “Pappy Lynch” gave the name “Judy” to her based on the old radio show “A Date With Judy”, so he could easily differentiate between his two granddaughters.
Judy especially loved the Lynch family farm in Aetna referred to as “The Hill”. She worked a while for Metro Police Department as a dispatcher. She enjoyed her array of pets and found joy in rehabilitating a menagerie of animals through the years. She moved back to Aetna around the year 2000 because it was her son Alan’s desire to be on the family farm. She was also a very avid genealogist working on her family tree and her ancestors’ photo preservation for 30 yrs. Later in life, she enjoyed having a small poultry farm at her house. She loved reading and writing and she wrote a few award winning articles for the Tennessean.
Judy was a cancer survivor, so she was especially proud of her grandson Tomãs Bermudez. Tomãs is getting his PhD from Vanderbilt University and his focus is on curing cancer. Her children and grandchildren and family were the joy of her life. She made an anatomical gift to UT Memphis Medical School.
She was preceded in death by her son, Alan William Gatley and her husband of 50 yrs Carl Ray Gatley.
Judy is survived by her daughters, Leslie Craig Gillespie of Nashville and Carla Gatley; grandsons, Alan William “AJ” Gatley Jr. of Texas, Tomãs Bermudez of Nashville, Alec, Jace York, Nicholas York; great grandchildren, Carson and Cora York; and special aunt, Pearl Lynch Jenkins of Aetna.
Celebration of life will be later.