Lyndel "Lyn" Winningham Afquir

Celebration of Life

Lyndel “Lyn” Winningham Afquir                                                                                                                                                                         September 15, 1954 – September 12, 2025

Lyndel “Lyn” Winningham Afquir, lovingly called “Lynnie” by her sisters, lived her 70 years with an open heart, a quick wit, and a free spirit that could never be contained. She passed away peacefully in Logan, Utah, on September 12, 2025, with her three daughters by her side, singing her home.

Born September 15, 1954, in Takoma Park, Maryland, to Ethelynne Lois Mayberry and Delos Hill Reynolds, Lyn grew up surrounded by open fields, animals, and especially horses. They were her first love—she trained them, showed them, and built a lifelong bond with animals of every kind. Even in her final week, when asked to imagine her perfect place, she pictured a farmhouse with cows and horses, returning in her heart to the land she cherished in her youth.

 Professionally, Lyn excelled. She graduated early from Poolesville High School, earned honors at Secretarial School, and was named Secretary of the Year. She went on to work as a legal secretary in Washington, D.C., where her diligence, intelligence, and warmth left a lasting mark.

Later in life, she embraced her greatest calling: creativity. Lyn became a folk artist with a passion for gourds, transforming them into whimsical beach cottages, intricate cultural tributes, and hand-painted works of joy. She was also a painter, jewelry-maker, seamstress, crocheter, and crafter—an endlessly inventive spirit whose hands were rarely still. Her creations were both playful and profound, stitched together with patience, imagination, and love.

 What set Lyn apart most, however, was the way she treated people. Even in pain, she never lost her humor or generosity. When asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?” she might smile and reply, “Yes—I hope you have a wonderful day.” She noticed when someone was weary, teased doctors about their long shifts, and always found a way to lift others up. Her cares seemed to vanish when she was caring for someone else. 

Lyn was also a woman of faith and prayer, and her connection to God grounded her throughout her life. The Logan LDS community became her family as much as her daughters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and sisters.

She is survived by her three daughters, Alaina (Aaron) Lohr, Bridget (Tiernan) Winningham, and Cadie (Sam) Chea, as well as her beloved grandchildren: Logan, Corban, Aedan, Laila, Lillian, and London. She also leaves behind her sisters CathyLee Reynolds Detloff and Cathy Higgins-Bisnett, along with their families, and numerous nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.

Though her health challenges were many, her mind, wit, and warmth stayed with her until her final hours. Her last gift to her daughters was a peaceful passing—surrounded by their voices in song, their hands on hers, as she slipped away with quiet grace.

In keeping with her wishes, no formal service will be held. Her family invites everyone who loved her to honor her in their own way—through art, through kindness, through laughter, and through joyful celebration.

The family wishes to thank Pioneer Valley Lodge and Sunshine Terrace Foundation for giving her a community she truly called home, and to Cache Valley Hospital and Sunshine Terrace Hospice for the tender care she received in her final weeks.

In lieu of flowers, trees, or other memorial offerings, the family invites donations in her honor to the Sunshine Terrace Foundation.