The Honourable Frank C. Lynch Staunton, 1979-85

The Honourable Frank C. Lynch-Staunton was known primarily as a rancher. He was also active in Alberta public affairs.

Francis Charles Lynch-Staunton was born on March 8, 1905, at Pincher Creek, Alberta, which was then located in the North-West Territories. He was the son of Richard Lynch-Staunton and Isabelle Mary Wilson. After attending the North Fork County School, he studied at Western Canadian College, Calgary (1919-22) and following that, he studied engineering at the University of Alberta (1923-27).

On September 21, 1929, he married Monica Adam of Calgary, Alberta. They had three children: Betty Lowe, Marina Field, and Hugh. Following the death of his first wife in 1976, he married Muriel B. Shaw on September 29, 1983. 

In the spring of 1927, Frank C. Lynch-Staunton secured employment surveying in the Lethbridge area. One survey and inspection project that he worked on was the Canadian Pacific Railway viaduct. After two months of surveying, he was employed as a geological surveyor for Imperial Oil for two years before entering into a ranching partnership with his father in 1929. This ranch, which is located north of Lundbreck, Alberta, is now a family corporation which is managed by his son, Hugh.

Frank C. Lynch-Staunton was a founding member and Director of Community Auction Sales. It was the first sales organization in Canada to sell cattle by auction. In 1933, he joined A Squadron, South Alberta Horse, at Pincher Creek, serving as a Second Lieutenant. He continued to serve with the Canadian Militia until he retired in 1943 with the rank of Major.

Frank C. Lynch-Staunton was a Councillor for Municipal District #9, Pincher Creek (1955-64), and he served on the Senate of the University of Lethbridge, the Canada Council (1959-65), and the Boards of the Claresholm Auxiliary Hospital, the Glenbow Foundation (1974-79), and Alberta Government House (1978-79).

On the advice of Prime Minister C. Joseph Clark, Frank C. Lynch-Staunton was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta effective October 18, 1979. Edward Schreyer, Governor General of Canada, made this appointment. Frank C. Lynch Staunton's term as Lieutenant-Governor was completed on October 18, 1984, but he was asked to continue in office until his successor was sworn in effective January 22, 1985.

During his period of service as Lieutenant-Governor, Frank C. Lynch Staunton's Senior Aide-de-Camp was Lieutenant-Colonel John H. Quarton, and his Secretary was M. Patricia Halligan. Frank C. Lynch-Staunton received Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the University of Alberta (1980) and the University of Lethbridge (1983).

He was a Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (1979), an Honorary Chief ("Mountain") of the Blood Indians, an Honorary Member of the Corps of Engineers, and an Honorary Member of the Edmonton Consular Corps. In 1987, Frank C. Lynch-Staunton's autobiography, Greener Pastures: The Memoirs of F. Lynch-Staunton, was published.

Frank C. Lynch-Staunton died at Edmonton on September 25, 1990, and was buried in the St. George's Cemetery at Livingstone, Alberta, eight miles north of Cowley.