Erro Lynd

Born March 17, 1981, in Columbus, Ohio, Erro Lynd (FKA Rose Erin Lynd) died peacefully in their home in Dayton, Wyoming on December 24, 2023, at the age of 42.

The youngest of three siblings, Erro was a spirited child with a strong will, a big heart, shrewd humor, and a fierce sense of justice. As a teenager, Erro spent long hours leading and communing with the Unitarian Universalist youth group and working backstage at Columbus Alternative High School’s theater program. By the time they headed to Sarah Lawrence College in New York, they had honed their talents as an artist, a poet, an organizer, and a deep thinker with deadpan humor and serious side-eye. A transformative semester spent in Havana, Cuba expanded their political perspective and they experienced personally the free and accessible medical system. After college, Erro was working for the labor union UNITE HERE organizing with hotel and restaurant employees when they were dealt the devastating blow of a cancer diagnosis: advanced-stage adult neuroblastoma. With their characteristic strength and resilience and with the support of dear friends and family and an extraordinary medical team at Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Center, Erro defied the odds and the grim prognosis by many years and lived life to the fullest, both in and between further treatments.

On assignment with the union in Orlando, Erro met Julia Willis, the love of their life who would stay by their side until the end. Erro and Julia left New York to live in Pittsburgh and then survived another cancer diagnosis–leukemia–that required a bone marrow transplant from stem cells donated by Erro’s sister Megan. Erro and Julia, facing multiple health challenges between them, channeled their passion and commitment to social justice through organizing for the human right to health care. They continued that struggle when they relocated to the mountains of Wyoming, where they were also involved with empowerment and community building with LGBTQ+ youth. The years in Wyoming deepened Erro’s love for wild places and animals and spending time in nature. At home they channeled creative energy into various forms of art, including crochet and stained glass, creating stuffed animals for their treasured nieces and nephews, as well as designing and building cat furniture for their beloved kitties.

Erro’s life and work have always been a source of inspiration and strength for those who have been fortunate enough to know them. They will forever be loved and remembered not only for their unwavering commitment to making the world brighter, more beautiful, and more just, but for their intuitive understanding of their fellow humans, generously shared wisdom, charming smile, quick wit, and warm, strong embrace.

Erro is survived by their spouse, Julia Willis, parents Margaret Lynd and Charles Lynd and stepmother Sheila Fox, sisters Juliet Lynd (Alejandro Enriquez) and Megan Lynd Meier (Ben Meier), nieces and nephews (Alejo, Javier, Evelyn, Sylvia, Sonorah, and Davin), and many loving cousins, aunts, uncles, in-laws, dear friends, and countless coworkers, co-organizers, comrades and all whose lives Erro touched and invariably changed for the better. We love you always and everywhere, Erro. So much.

In place of flowers, please send donations to Put People First, an organization with which Erro was a leader to the end, advocating for health care as a human right. www.putpeoplefirstpa.org

A Celebration of Erro’s life will be held on Saturday, January 20th at 3PM at the WYO Theater Tandem Hall (Entrance off West Brundage Road, elevator to the 3rd floor). A potluck meal will follow. Please wear a mask for the sake of the immunocompromised. Online condolences may be made to www.sheridanfuneral.com.