Lynn Anne Hanney Bender

If you are thinking of throwing something away, stop for a minute and ask yourself, what would Lynn have done with this? There was no garbage in Lynn’s life, only opportunities to recreate something beautiful. Everything can be reborn.

We are sad to announce that Lynn Hanney Bender, 74, passed away at home in Greenwood Lake, New York on Monday, May 18 surrounded by the very elements she brought back to life.

Lynn was a talent ahead of her time. Her eye for style and detail was admired by everyone who entered her space. She had the uncanny ability to turn junk into treasure with only what was at her fingertips. She was seasons ahead of every trend; by the time something became mass, she was on to the next. She wasn’t one to sit on something long enough for the paint to dry. School pictures and kids’ artworks were always “tucked away in the drawers to keep them safe” – never because they clashed with her vision. Construction paper ornaments made it to the tree to fill the empty back. We are going to miss calling her out on these things and laughing with her.

Lynn was very savvy and saw beauty in everything. She loved her garden; she always said there was no need to weed. Weeds make the best fillers. Why pay for greenery at the store when nature landscapes for you. She truly loved sitting outside, staring at all her colorful, carefully picked flowers and tending to her herbs. Her small backyard became a woodland wonderland through the daily feedings of her squirrels and chipmunks, her nemesis resident groundhog and her beloved birds – all of which we are now stuck with supporting their hearty, expensive lifestyle.

An amazing cook, she could turn scraps into gourmet. Sent away with ziplock bags full of wonderful meals, she wouldn’t chance a Tupperware thief. The age of her spices, some potentially dated Before Christ, was a chance one must have been willing to take however. She’d argue that spices do not expire and being a chemist by profession, this was a point she wasn’t willing to concede.

Rarely one to ask for help, she opted to do most herself – although never with directions, just her own aesthetically pleasing, impatient way. Leftover parts and duct tape were usually involved. Move a piece of furniture and dont be surprised to see that she just painted around it. The many different Eras of Lynn can be measured by the thickness of paint layers on the wall.

Most didn’t know our mom was sick because she wanted it that way; she was never one for pity. When life gave her lemons, she made lemonade - with mint from her garden. She had been through so much and still always put a smile on the faces around her. She took care of so many just because that was who she was. She stepped up when our father passed and became the rock in our lives. If you treated her kindly, you were family to her. If you treated her unkind, you were merely just a ghost. But if you treated one of her kids in any hurtful way, you probably should run - fast. She was so proud of each and every one of us, friends and family alike. If you are reading this, know that she cared deeply for you.

Finally back with the love of her life who had to leave her far too soon, they have many years of making up to do. Heavenly newlyweds. That thought helps us smile through the tears. Lynn and Michael, together again. Just two young kids in love hanging out at the Marshmallow Pub, recreating something beautiful. Love, reborn.

Please join us on Saturday, May 30, 2026, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., for a Celebration of Life at Zygmunt-Murtie Funeral Home, 4 Oak Street, Greenwood Lake, New York, 10925.

To some she was pure sunshine. To some she was pure sarcasm. To us, she was everything. Mom, we LOVE YOU MORE.

Funeral arrangements are honorably entrusted to Zygmunt-Murtie Funeral and Cremation Service - 845-477-8240 or visit www.zmmemorials.com.