Many of the people reading this will not have had the pleasure of knowing Lynn Bortnick. Those of you who did, know she was a deeply private person. Those fortunate enough to be in her close circle consider themselves the lucky chosen few, privileged to see what so much of the world missed out on. She was not a fan of big crowds. She guarded her solitude fiercely. A magna cum laude graduate with a verified genius level IQ, she overcame unimaginable adversities to come from one of the roughest neighborhoods in Detroit to become a top level corporate tech analyst and one of the oldest women still working in her field. She broke down barriers, helped strangers, and turned down almost every promotion she was offered. She traveled the world, worked overseas as an archeologist, and created spreadsheet formulas that would befuddle even the most brilliant of accountants. She was not easy to understand—not because she was distant or insincere, but because her complexity was beyond what most could grasp. She did not seem to mind this fact.

An outrageous tipper, Emmy winning film producer, she often bought things she didn’t even want from door to door salespeople because she got the feeling they could really use the bump in their commission. She quietly helped everyone around her and spoke up loudly for those whose voices were being stepped on. She was the last to sit down at any meal, the first to pick up the check. Her first step in every hotel room was to hack into the settings on the tv and meticulously set all of the parameters of contrast and framerate to make sure the movies and shows were displayed in the way the director intended. She cared deeply about art, people, truth and kindness. She despised bigotry, hatred and ignorance. A jewish convert with a fiercely protective nature for those with less than, her true religion was decency.

She was full of contractions. She was both resilient beyond measure and hyper sensitive to bullies and snark. She studied quantum physics in her spare time and knew more about the Kardashians and John Mayer’s dating history than any person probably should. She fell into the pit of addiction and alcoholism and then remained sober for 25 years helping countless others do the same. She fell in love with authors and directors, musicians and artists. She didn't just appreciate their work, she lived inside of it. She developed a deeply personal relationship with the guy who mowed her lawn. She worked an almost inhuman number of hours per week and still somehow watched more films and read more books than should’ve been possible. She did not sleep enough and she did not have regrets about that. She was plagued with constant worry for the people she loved, and yet had so much faith and optimism in their future. She was the most moral person I think I will ever know, but had zero patience for arbitrary rules and laws not grounded in logic or reason. She almost always knew more than you, but almost never made you feel like your opinion wasn’t valid. She was as kind as a person could be, and yet could talk shit with the best of them. She made people feel seen. She saw the best in people, and the worst. She saw people. She cared about understanding the way the world worked. Her talents far exceeded what her humility might suggest. She probably did not give herself enough credit for the things she did.

She was my role model for how people should be treated, the value of keeping your side of the street clean. She was my north star in times of moral uncertainty, and she never allowed me to believe I was less than. She always gave more than she took.

70 years was not enough time. She still had more to teach this world… more to learn from it. 70 years was not enough time, and yet, it was more than any of us had a right to ask for. She was better than the world she came from. The lone flower growing through a crack in the asphalt. A bright light in a world too often cast in shadows. To say she will be missed is a criminal understatement. There is a Lynn sized hole in the heart of the world. Let us hope we fill that void with the spirit of her kindness. The tenacity of her relentless search for understanding. The acceptance for that which cannot be changed.

Lynn is survived by her 3 sons (Justin, David and Max), Her 3 sisters(Elaine, Julie and Gail), and her 2 grandchildren (Lyra and Harlan)

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