We just returned from the viewing for our good friend Lynn McGrane at Sacred Heart Church in Manoa.
Marilyn “Lynn” Rose McGrane died suddenly, Aug. 28, at her home in Malvern, Pa.
She was 76.
She lived on Windsor Circle in Springfield from 1984 until 2022, and grew up in the Manoa section of Haverford Township..
Lynn graduated from Cardinal O’Hara High School and got a bachelor’s degree in art/art history from West Chester University
Her mark, however, was made in retail. She was hired by the legendary Mary Tate at Philadelphia’s John Wanamaker and ended up being general manager of its Wynnewood store if our memory is right.
Wanamaker’s was acquired by Woodward and Lothrop in 1986 and Lynne would eventually manage that company’s store in Washington D.C.
The corporate shuffling of department stores continued and she would go on to manage stores in Boca Raton. Fla. and the Bloomingdale’s in King of Prussia.
She was known for her very creative employee motivation programs.
Lynn sponsored fund-raising events in partnership with numerous charitable organizations. She served on the PAFA advisory board for fashion merchandising. She lectured at Drexel University Department of Fashion, Design and Merchandizing on branding and contributed to the publication of a text book for the Fashion Design Industry.
Lynn enjoyed traveling, cooking and baking.
And she could make a great Martini.
She also loved gardening and pets.
Especially Siamese cats and Pekinese dogs.
Nothing, however, mattered more to her than caring for the people she loved.
She was the daughter of the late James J. and Marie (née Dybicz) McGrane.
Lynn was the dear sister of Judith McGrane, James J. McGrane (Louise), Edward F. McGrane, Christopher J. McGrane, and the late John E. McGrane (Sharon); beloved aunt of James, David, Allison and Michael McGrane.
She is also survived by great-nieces and nephews, cousins and her close circle of friends for 55 years, Terri DiGiorgio, Catherine Fitzgerald, Kathy Reichel and Kathleen Coyne.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, https://stjude.org/donate/ or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, https://t2t.org/donate/ or to ASPCA, https://www.aspca.org/ways-to-give.
To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit Donohue Funeral Home’s flower store.
