Obituary: E. Lynne Passilla

Lynne Passilla passed away at her home on March 25, 2021, at the age of 82 surrounded by her family. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to all who knew her. She spent the greater part of her life serving the God that she loved and with whom she is now reunited.

E. Lynne Passilla (nee Kennedy) was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 6, 1938, in Lee Hospital. She was the first daughter of James E. and Ellenor M. Kennedy (nee Furry). 

She loved ballet, toe dancing and swimming and was a member of the Girl Scouts. She graduated from Westmont Upper Yoder High School in 1956. In 1960, she graduated from Grove City College in Pennsylvania, where she was president of the Women’s Athletic Association, vice president of the Athletic Council and secretary of the Student Judicial Board; was recognized as Homecoming Queen in 1958; and produced and performed in a synchronized swimming show. She also generously served as a counselor and instructor at a children’s camp in Maine during her college summers.

After college, she started her career with AT&T in sales and marketing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

In 1961, Lynne followed her heart and traveled across the country to Los Angeles, California, to marry her college sweetheart, Jim Passilla, who had just accepted his first job. It was at this point in her career that she decided to dedicate her life to the education and service of others. She became a social worker in Orange County, California, where she poured her heart into helping those in need within the welfare system. Between 1964 and 1969, she also gave birth to four children.

In 1970, Lynne and Jim moved to Central Florida as part of the Disney World pre-opening team. Lynne became a fulltime homemaker, raising her children in the township of Windermere where she spent the better part of her 60 years of marriage serving as a talented and compassionate leader within the community.

Her priorities were always God, family and friends, in that order. She was known by many as a “Good Samaritan,” as she positively impacted the lives of everyone she knew. She humbly shared her time and gifts with organizations that she believed in, including Samaritan’s Purse, Focus on the Family, Christian Service Center, Grove City College, Orlando Health and the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Winter Garden, FL.  She loved the Church of the Messiah and took great pride in serving as a member of the Altar Guild and a host of other ministries.

She also was a member of the Bloom & Grow Garden Society. When not dedicating her time to the church and her community, she and Jim enjoyed visiting foreign countries and making memories with family and friends.

She is survived by her husband, James P. Passilla (Windermere, Florida); one sister, Anne K. Alderman, and husband John (Mohnton, Pennsylvania); her four children, Anne M. Spragg and husband Scott (Windermere, Florida), James P. Passilla Jr. and wife Beth (Winter Garden, Florida), Michael K. Passilla and wife Jen (Alpharetta, Georgia) and Connie L. Montgomery (Windermere, Florida).  Lynne also has 10 loving grandchildren and one great-grandchild, with whom she enjoyed educating and sharing her love of God. She will forever be remembered as a brilliant, funny, talented, compassionate and humble servant of the Lord.

A memorial service for Lynne will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 18. Due to COVID protocol, the service will be limited to family. We ask friends to join the service as a live broadcast at 1:30 p.m. on the 18th on the COTM YouTube Channel, which can be found at churchofthemessiah.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider making a donation to one of the following organizations: Samaritan’s Purse, Focus on the Family or Church of the Messiah (Winter Garden, Florida).