Al Lindsey — No. 4

Post date: Jan 27, 2020 9:25:47 PM

Alfred Clen Lindsey, 89, one of the founding members of Iota Theta Zeta, died Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in a Little Rock hospice facility.

Born June 14, 1930, in Mammoth Spring, Ark., to Helen and John Lindsey, Brother Al graduated from Thayer (Mo.) High School in 1947. He worked with his father at their family service station in Thayer from 1948-51.

In 1951 he entered the U.S. Army and served until 1954. A Korean War veteran, he received a commendation ribbon with medal pendant for his service in Korea from June 1953 to January 1954 from the Headquarters of the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission.

After serving his country, he enrolled at then-Arkansas State College, where he received his accounting degree in 1959.

He was a member of the Veterans Club organized in 1956. The Veterans Club later was chartered to become a chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, and Al served as its charter president. He was designated as zeta number 4 for a chapter that now has initiated more than 1,600 members.After graduation he again helped his father with their family service station, then began work at the Singer manufacturing plant in Trumann as an accountant until the plant eventually shut down. He commuted to work in Memphis at Holiday City, the holding company for Holiday Inn, as an accounting supervisor for seven years.In March 1978 he started the final chapter of his professional career at Southern Pioneer Insurance Company and was there for 30 years until he retired as senior vice president for accounting in 2008. Al met his future wife at a dentist’s office. He went in for a bad tooth and ended up being charmed by the dental hygienist. Al and Patsy Johnson were married on Aug. 24, 1961. He adopted her three children — Bobby, Tommy and Ann — and raised them as his own. They had their own child, Kim, in 1962.Al was active in the First United Methodist Church at Trumann and was also a member of the Lions Club.He moved to Little Rock in 2008 and transferred his membership to the Highland Valley United Methodist Church, where he quickly became active and served as an usher and was part of the men's Bible study and the Crossroads Sunday School Class.

He often spoke of how fortunate he was to watch and be a part of his grandchildren's lives. After watching Camille, Grant, Angela and Becca grow up in Trumann and West Memphis, Al moved to Little Rock to watch Lindsey and Will grow up and follow their dreams.

Al was preceded in death by his parents, wife Patsy, daughter Ann and son Bobby.

He is survived by his sister, Barbara Brotherton (Don) of Grandview, Wash.; a brother, Tom Lindsey (Pansy) of Springfield, Mo.; a son, Tommy Lindsey of Trumann; a daughter, Kim Hastings (Scott) of Little Rock.; six grandchildren, Camille Turner and Grant Henley (Amy), both of Trumann, Angela Battershell (Damien) of Benton, Becca Turner (Hunter) of Lepanto, Lindsey Hastings of Nashville, Tenn., and Will Hastings of Auburn, Ala.; and five great-granddaughters.

If you encountered Al, you know he loved to visit. He always had a story to tell, and we can rest assured he is visiting with all those he has joined in Heaven.

A memorial service was held Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Highland Valley United Methodist Church in Little Rock. Al requested any memorials be made to the Highland Valley church.