✦ ✦ ✦
Linda Sue Ray Lindsey, age 71 of Colorado Springs, CO, passed away peacefully, at home, in Colorado, on March 10, 2017, after a prolonged period of illness in Colorado Springs. She was our beloved wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend. She was a child of God who sought to serve the Lord and live a life of love, faithfulness, and service to Him.
She was born on April 4, 1945, in Dermott, Arkansas, to Pauline and Warren Ray, the last of their nine children, and the first to be born in a hospital. She grew up in the rural countryside on her family's small farm. She helped her mother and siblings pick cotton when she was small and she worked as a babysitter, then a waitress, to help her mother pay the bills after her father died when she was 10. She loved and treasured all of her siblings, and was profoundly blessed, thankful, and grateful for them, and the gift and blessing from God that they were in her life, each and every day.
She attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and was crowned Miss Arkansas A & M, as well as Miss Southeast Arkansas, Miss Cotton Queen, and was a runner-up in the Miss Arkansas pageant. She loved to sing and often performed in talent contests and was blessed to sing in the church that she and her mama attended in Dermott.
On June 3 1965, she married her college sweetheart and Arkansas A&M star quarterback, Don Lindsey, at Dermott Baptist Church. They moved to Alabama for Don to coach as a graduate assistant under legendary coach Bear Bryant, where Linda worked as a secretary for the Bear, while completing her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Alabama.
Don embarked on a successful career coaching major college football, and Linda and Don began their trek across the country, living in Washington, Montana, Arkansas, and California. During these years, Linda worked as a school teacher, as well as several temp jobs she immensely enjoyed, including working for TWA, a CPA, and a sporting goods company. Everyone she worked with loved her caring, thoughtful, warm soul and was she was blessed with many enduring friendships.
On April 6 1981, while Don was coaching at the University of Arkansas, Linda and Don welcomed their first and only child, their daughter Michelle. Linda became a stay-at-home mom and loved, savored, and treasured every moment raising her beloved daughter. Beginning in the 5th grade, Linda homeschooled Michelle through high school, with her daughter receiving a 4.0 GPA and high SAT and ACT scores, thanks to her dedication as a devoted teacher, as well as an extraordinary mother. Throughout these years, Linda, Don, and Michelle moved frequently, with Don's successful coaching career, and enjoyed living in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, California, Washington, Mississippi, and Hawaii. In 2006, Linda and Don retired, and moved, along with Michelle, to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In addition to her love for singing and teaching, Linda also enjoyed gardening, cooking, making crafts with her daughter, sewing for her daughter, teaching her daughter's Sunday School class when Michelle was a child, decorating for and celebrating holidays, and running (she even won an age group award for a 10k race in Hawaii in 1998 and completed the illustrious 8.3 mile Great Aloha Run that same year). Linda also loved spending time with, and caring for, the many precious dogs that she and her family were blessed with over the years.
She is survived by her husband, her daughter, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. She will be missed, honored, and loved eternally, and her family, friends, and loved ones await with great hope and anticipation, a glorious and joyous reunion with her in Heaven, in the presence of our Lord. Until that day, we will carry her in our hearts. Always.
Funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Chapel with burial to follow in Centerpoint Cemetery. Online guestbook www.stephensondearman.com.
She was born on April 4, 1945, in Dermott, Arkansas, to Pauline and Warren Ray, the last of their nine children, and the first to be born in a hospital. She grew up in the rural countryside on her family's small farm. She helped her mother and siblings pick cotton when she was small and she worked as a babysitter, then a waitress, to help her mother pay the bills after her father died when she was 10. She loved and treasured all of her siblings, and was profoundly blessed, thankful, and grateful for them, and the gift and blessing from God that they were in her life, each and every day.
She attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and was crowned Miss Arkansas A & M, as well as Miss Southeast Arkansas, Miss Cotton Queen, and was a runner-up in the Miss Arkansas pageant. She loved to sing and often performed in talent contests and was blessed to sing in the church that she and her mama attended in Dermott.
On June 3 1965, she married her college sweetheart and Arkansas A&M star quarterback, Don Lindsey, at Dermott Baptist Church. They moved to Alabama for Don to coach as a graduate assistant under legendary coach Bear Bryant, where Linda worked as a secretary for the Bear, while completing her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Alabama.
Don embarked on a successful career coaching major college football, and Linda and Don began their trek across the country, living in Washington, Montana, Arkansas, and California. During these years, Linda worked as a school teacher, as well as several temp jobs she immensely enjoyed, including working for TWA, a CPA, and a sporting goods company. Everyone she worked with loved her caring, thoughtful, warm soul and was she was blessed with many enduring friendships.
On April 6 1981, while Don was coaching at the University of Arkansas, Linda and Don welcomed their first and only child, their daughter Michelle. Linda became a stay-at-home mom and loved, savored, and treasured every moment raising her beloved daughter. Beginning in the 5th grade, Linda homeschooled Michelle through high school, with her daughter receiving a 4.0 GPA and high SAT and ACT scores, thanks to her dedication as a devoted teacher, as well as an extraordinary mother. Throughout these years, Linda, Don, and Michelle moved frequently, with Don's successful coaching career, and enjoyed living in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, California, Washington, Mississippi, and Hawaii. In 2006, Linda and Don retired, and moved, along with Michelle, to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In addition to her love for singing and teaching, Linda also enjoyed gardening, cooking, making crafts with her daughter, sewing for her daughter, teaching her daughter's Sunday School class when Michelle was a child, decorating for and celebrating holidays, and running (she even won an age group award for a 10k race in Hawaii in 1998 and completed the illustrious 8.3 mile Great Aloha Run that same year). Linda also loved spending time with, and caring for, the many precious dogs that she and her family were blessed with over the years.
She is survived by her husband, her daughter, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. She will be missed, honored, and loved eternally, and her family, friends, and loved ones await with great hope and anticipation, a glorious and joyous reunion with her in Heaven, in the presence of our Lord. Until that day, we will carry her in our hearts. Always.
Funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Chapel with burial to follow in Centerpoint Cemetery. Online guestbook www.stephensondearman.com.