Tampa Bay, FL – WEDU PBS announced today that Lyn Seymour, an important friend to WEDU, passed away March 31st at St. Joseph’s Hospital from complications due to Coronavirus.
Lyn was a longtime television producer and had produced documentaries for WEDU. She shared her love for public broadcasting by hosting on-air membership drives for the station. She was also one of the first members of WEDU’s volunteer team.
“Our own WEDU team has been impacted profoundly,” said Paul Grove, WEDU PBS President and CEO. Grove worked with Seymour on WEDU’s nationally distributed Mote Marine documentary “Shark Mysteries, Unlocking the Secrets of the Gulf” and “John Ringling: Dreamer, Builder, Collector.” Grove remembered, “Her ability to exhibit both professionalism and kindness at the same time is rare. She always encouraged everyone around her and had a quality that made everything she produced seem effortless.”
Seymour worked closely with WEDU Senior Vice President of Development Claire O’Connor Solomon who oversees WEDU’s on-air membership drives. “I am deeply saddened by Lyn’s passing,” O’Connor Solomon said. “She was a breath of fresh air, witty with her comebacks and always so generous with her time. She offered thoughtful advice and was a true believer of PBS and everything it stands for. She will truly be missed.”
Seymour and her husband Mike Seymour, founder of The Programming Service which has offices within the WEDU studios, had been self-quarantined at their home in Tampa after returning from a trip to Egypt.
“Lyn was a woman of many talents; producing, on-air talent, writing, corralling producers (tougher than herding cats, she would tell you), and many others. But whatever talent she was displaying at any given time always came with her humanity and care for those around her. She used her experience in public television to be a mentor and strong source of encouragement to other women within her sphere of influence, including me. She was also my dear friend and I will miss her so very much,” said Sabrena Norris, a longtime friend and staff member of The Programming Service.
Jack Conely, WEDU Senior Vice President of Operations recalls, “Lyn was a mentor and a friend at WEDU when I was just learning about TV and about PBS. She had a deep devotion to PBS and the mission. Lyn was a big fan of Mr. Rogers long before there were documentaries and films in his honor. She always seemed to come in and out of my life at unexpected times over the years and was always ‘mentoring’ me in a loving way,” said Jack Conely, WEDU Senior Vice President of Operations.
The Seymour family has requested that contributions in honor of Lyn Seymour be made to local PBS stations.
