How Did Oliver Lynn Die?
Oliver Lynn, of Irish ancestry, was born in Butcher Hollow, near Paintsville, Kentucky, in Johnson County, and was an uneducated resident of a town centered on the coal mining industry. Oliver Lynn was uninterested in coal mining after serving in the United States Army during World War II. Oliver made a living selling moonshine, earning…
Oliver Lynn, of Irish ancestry, was born in Butcher Hollow, near Paintsville, Kentucky, in Johnson County, and was an uneducated resident of a town centered on the coal mining industry. Oliver Lynn was uninterested in coal mining after serving in the United States Army during World War II. Oliver made a living selling moonshine, earning him the moniker “Mooney.” Because he was perceived by locals as a lazy person who didn’t “do much,” he earned the nickname “Doolittle,” which his wife Loretta shortened to “Doo.” Lynn met Loretta Webb, 15, at a pie social when she was 21, and they married a month later. A year later, the newlyweds moved to Custer, Washington, as Lynn sought better employment opportunities.
By the time his wife was 19, the couple had three children. The Lynns had six children during their marriage: Betty Sue, Jack Benny, Clara Marie (“Cissy”), Ernest Ray, and twin daughters Peggy and Patsy (the latter named after Patsy Cline). Jack Benny Lynn predeceased his parents; Betty Sue Lynn died in 2013.
How Did Oliver Lynn Die?
Oliver Lynn died five days before his 70th birthday on August 22, 1996. Diabetes-related health issues and heart failure were blamed for his death.
