By Rebecca White, Columbia Basin Herald

OLYMPIA — Members of the state Senate honored a Moses Lake man who grew up in the Tri-Cities with a resolution honoring his life and work.

Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, read the resolution to the Senate on Feb. 24 and along with Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, shared memories of Kyle Lynch, who died of colon cancer in November.

“What most impacted me was his indelible spirit and his laugh,” Short said. “You could be having the worst or most challenging day, and you would walk past his desk and that laugh was just infectious.”

Short, who came first to the Legislature in 2006 as a legislative assistant in the House, remembered Lynch as welcoming and always ready to help out new aides.

“There was not a question that was too dumb, or things that he would not help me with,” Short said.

Lynch served as a legislative aide from 2003 to 2016, first for Sen. Joyce Mulliken, R-Moses Lake, and later for Warnick. He was an Eagle Scout and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, and was also elected section chief for the W-1C region.

In the resolution, Warnick described Lynch as a model Christian and as a selfless public servant. She said Lynch served the Columbia Basin with distinction and character and his courage in the face of his advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment reflected that character.

“‘I have the best job in the world,’” Warnick said. “That’s what Kyle said over and over.”

After sharing the resolution, she recalled his knowledge of history and politics and passion for his work in the Legislature.

“I learned an awful lot from him even though he was young enough to be my son,” Warnick said.

Lynch, 47, was the father of two young children and married to Lynne Lynch, managing editor of the Columbia Basin Herald.

Two other resolutions honoring staff who died over the past year were shared during the session. Sen. Christin Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, read a resolution honoring Amanda Rohrkemper, a member of the Code Revisers Office, and Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, honored Sandra G. Wibbels of Senate Committee Services.

Majority floor leader Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, closed the resolutions and thanked the members for their tribute and the families and staff for attending.

“Certainly the words that were shared today cannot limit the grief,” Fain said. “But they can certainly increase the pride that the family members should have for their lost loved ones, because it is a pride that is shared by each member of this chamber.”