Red Wings PA Announcer Budd Lynch Dead at 95

The Detroit Red Wings have confirmed the team's longtime public address announcer and Wyandotte resident Budd Lynch has died. He was 95.

Frank Joseph James "Budd" Lynch was the longest-tenured employee in Red Wings history at 63 years, according to the team.

Lynch, an inductee in both the Hockey Hall of Fame and Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, volunteered to serve in the Canadian Army as a young Major of the Essex Scottish Regiment in World War II. He lost his right arm and shoulder in 1944 following the D-Day invasion at Normandy. While he no longer served in the infantry, he was a BBC contributor for the remainder of the war, according to the Red Wings.

After a short stint as a radio announcer in Windsor, he was hired as the Red Wings' radio broadcaster in 1949 and became the team's public address announcer in 1982.

Ken Kal, the current Red Wings announcer and St. Clair Shores resident, shared his memories of Lynch Tuesday morning on Frank Beckmann's WJR radio show.

According to the Detroit Red Wings, Lynch was part of 10 of the team's 11 Stanley Cup championships as a radio and stadium announcer.

“Budd Lynch was a dear member of the Detroit Red Wings family and legendary icon of our community,” said Red Wings’ owner Mike Ilitch in a release.  “Hearing Budd’s voice on the radio and over the public address at Joe Louis Arena was something that every Red Wings fan looked forward to and loved."

Lynch is survived by his daughters Janis, Valerie, Mary, Francey, Patricia and Lori. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Check back later for more information as it's released.

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