Rev. Dr. Julian Astor Lindsey

Rev. Dr. Julian Astor Lindsey of the Arbor Acres United Methodist Retirement Community in Winston-Salem, NC passed away Friday, February 15. Born May 23, 1913 in Nemours, West Virginia, the oldest of four sons of Jacob Astor Lindsey and Annie Bondurant Lindsey, he lived a full and rewarding life 97 days shy of one hundred years. At the time of his passing he was the oldest United Methodist minister in the Western North Carolina Conference. He spent his early years with his family on the Bondurant family farm in Leatherwood, Virginia. When he was ten years old, his family moved to Danville, Virginia. He graduated from Danville Military Institute and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. His decision to become a minister of the United Methodist Church resulted in his attending seminary at the Duke Divinity School. � On October 8, 1939 he married Frances Ruark in the Duke University Chapel and they began ministry in the Norwood circuit of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church (WNC-UMC). During the next 42 years, Julian served in that appointment and, sequentially, these others for the WNC-UMC: as Associate Minister, Wesley Memorial, High Point; as Chaplain in World War II (as Post Chaplain at Blytheville Army Air Base, Arkansas and then as a Chaplain in the European Theater of Operations with the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces, 1943-46); upon return, for another year at Wesley Memorial; as senior minister in Gibsonville; Centenary, Greensboro; Broad Street, Statesville; First Church, Lexington; and Central, Shelby; as Superintendent of the Winston-Salem District, Northeast District, Greensboro District; as Director of the WNC-UMC Council of Ministries, Charlotte; and as Superintendent of the Thomasville District. Frances predeceased Julian in 2011 after almost 72 years of marriage. Four children were born to the Lindseys: Dr. Bryant Lindsey (Linda) of Morganton, Alice Caylor (Willard) of Denver, Julie Loflin of Greensboro, and Stuart (Rebecca) of Mooresville. They were blessed by seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, all dearly cherished. Julian attended three General Conferences of the UMC and four Jurisdictional Conferences, having been elected by the WNC-UMC as a delegate. He served two quadrennia on the General Council on Ministries of the UMC. For four years, he served as the Chairman of the Duke Divinity School Planning Committee for the Annual Convocation. He served as a Trustee of Pfeiffer University for more than forty years. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1969 from High Point University. After retirement in 1982, he consented to work for a time in Public Relations and Development for the Arbor Acres United Methodist Retirement Community in Winston-Salem. In 1984, he and his wife retired at Lake Junaluska. In 1996, they moved to Denver, NC to be nearer their children. In 2005, he and his wife moved to Arbor Acres in Winston-Salem and each finished their earthly service and life there. In addition to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Julian is survived by a sister-in-law, Hazel Lindsey, of Prescott, Arizona and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife, Julian was predeceased by his three brothers, James, Richard, and Virgil, a son-in-law, John Loflin, a grandson, Jonathan Lindsey, and a great-granddaughter, Hope Loflin. The memorial and committal service will be at Central United Methodist Church in Mooresville, NC, on Saturday, March 2 beginning at 1:00 PM with Rev. Randy Sherrill and Rev. Dr. George Thompson officiating. Visitation will follow in the church fellowship hall. Nicholson Funeral Home in Statesville is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to any of the churches Julian served, to Lake Junaluska Assembly's Memorial Chapel, to the Mother's Day Fund of the Arbor Acres Retirement Community, to the Columbarium Fund of Central United Methodist Church in Mooresville, or to a charity of one's choice.