Marshall L Lynam, long time Congressional Chief of Staff, writer and consummate story teller passed away peacefully on the afternoon of February 15th in Woodstock Virginia. Marshall was born November 27, 1924 to parents E.L. and May Lynam in Bishop, Texas. His start in the newspaper business began as a paper boy before enlisting in the Army Air Corp at the age of 18. During WWII, he served as a waist gunner on many B-17 missions over Europe. After the war, he attended college at Texas A & I (now A & M University) in Kingsville, Texas, where he met his wife and rock solid supporter of 62 years, , Eddie. At night, he worked as a movie projectionist in Kingsville. Kingsville had two movie theaters, but only one projectionist, so Marshall would set up a reel in one movie, then run down the street to the other one to start the movie there, and then back to change reels, etc. After college Marshall and Eddie moved to Fort Worth where he worked as a reporter for the Fort Worth Press and then the Star-Telegram, frequently on the reporter desk on the night shift. In 1961, he joined the staff of Congressman Jim Wright and moved to Washington. He served Mr. Wright for 27 years, becoming his Chief of Staff during his years as Majority Leader and then Speaker of the House. After Speaker Wright's retirement from Congress, Marshall worked as a government affairs consultant for DFW International Airport and the Tandy/RadioShack Corporation. Marshall could find humor in nearly every situation, and in 1998, published his book, "Stories I Never Told the Speaker, " with some of the funniest and also touching tales of his years in Congress. He was admired by all who knew him, regardless of political affiliation, and was as courteous to the custodians who cleaned the Longworth House Office Building as he was to the seven Presidents who knew him. Marshall is survived by his wife, Eddie, a brother, Jimmy Lynam of Fort Worth, sister Gwen Tilley of Houston; son, Charles Lynam of Leakey, Texas, daughter Sharon Lynam of Holmes Beach, FL, Marsha Sparling of Strasburg, VA; grandchildren Michael Williams, Jennifer KItner , Tiffany Filerman, all of Virginia, Marshall Lynam and Maryann Lynam of Leakey, Texas and great-grandchildren Cindy Zastudil, Dagan and Jacob KItner of Virginia. A funeral service for Mr. Lynam will be conducted Wednesday, February 22nd at 2:00pm at the Strasburg United Methodist Church with Rev. Doug Martin officiating. Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery with full military honors conducted by Shenandoah American Legion Post 77 Strasburg. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, a remembrance to the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, 6300 E. El Dorado Plaza Suite 400, Tucson, Arizona 85715 or a charity of one's choice.