Remembering "The connector" Lynn Threlkeld

Next Thursday evening, Central Florida residents will trickle through the doors of the Maitland Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the memory of a woman who touched many lives with her community-oriented spirit and positivity.

Former Maitland Chamber of Commerce president and Orlando resident Lynn Threlkeld, 63, died from lung cancer on the morning of Thursday, March 24. It was her third time battling the disease within the last 10 years.

Not only was Threlkeld a champion for the Chamber, but she also made an effort to become involved in professional and non-profit organizations, including Business Network International, Wednesday Women of Wisdom Leads Group and Relay for Life.

“Lynn definitely enjoyed being around people. She loved connecting them, whether personally or professionally,” said Jeff Aames, the Chamber’s administrator. “That’s one big thing that she was always about: introducing someone to someone else.”

Aames knew Threlkeld as a strong-willed woman and an avid networker. Over the course of their nine-year friendship, he saw her reestablish monthly luncheons at the Chamber, chair the Taste of Maitland event and assist with the annual Art Festival.

“She was very community oriented — always connecting people back and forth and was forever introducing new people to the Chamber,” Aames said.

Before making her way to the Sunshine State in the early 2000s, Threlkeld put her business degree to use in New York and Oklahoma. She met her husband, Gordon Threlkeld, while swing dancing in Orlando in 2005.

“She was my greatest supporter. Whatever I wanted to pursue, she was behind me 100 percent,” Gordon said. “And that’s how she was with most people.”

As a woman who was passionate about people and opportunity, Threlkeld’s real estate license served her well. She made a name for herself by holding seminars, owning Real Estate Wealth For You and working for LaRosa Realty.

In October, Threlkeld began to suffer from a persistent cough. She and her husband assumed that the nippy weather was responsible and that her health would soon improve. Doctors found a large mass in Threlkeld’s left lung after she was rushed to the emergency room in early November.

In addition to her husband of 11 years, Threlkeld is survived by her daughter, Heather Wilk; stepdaughter, LaDonna Ovitz; and stepson, Brian Threlkeld.

The Chamber will be hosting a “Celebration of Life” ceremony in honor of Threlkeld from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 14. Local residents are invited to partake in this event to commemorate Threlkeld’s dedication and commitment to improving the Maitland community.

“Lynn loved meeting and helping people,” Gordon said. “She was a connector. She loved to find what people were looking for, and she would do her best to connect them to the people that could help them.”