William L. Lindsey was born on September 1, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois to Ethel and William Lindsey, Sr. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he and his mother lived with her family. His mother worked a lot, so Bill went between his two sets of grandparents.
Although he was Baptized as an Episcopalian, while at his Grandma Lindsey’s house, they always went to Mass at the Catholic Church. When he was a boy, he asked his Grandma Lindsey and her sister, his Aunt Nell, if he could take instructions to become Catholic. While in Grammar School, he joined the Catholic Church and never looked back. He grew up as an introvert but enjoyed his days playing with his cousin Earl who was like a brother to him. (Earl’s mother had died while he was very young, so he too spent a good deal of time at the grandparents.)
When Bill was just 16 years old, he dropped out of high school after completing his Junior year, because World War II was in full swing. He was too young to join the Navy, so he joined the U.S. Maritime Service (Merchant Marines.) When he was 17, he joined the Navy and served on active duty until the war ended. He then stayed in the Navy Reserves until 1954. He was always very proud of his service to his country and this defined his whole life.
After his active duty in the military ended, he went back to his old high school in Chicago to have his teachers sign off on a graduation diploma so that he could go to college on the GI Bill. They did, and he headed to Houston, Texas where his father and Aunt Minard lived to attend University of Houston his first year of college. He figured out that he needed some “Fun in the Sun,” so he transferred to the University of Miami to study Finance and Economics (and girls). He graduated in February 1950 with his B.S. Degree in Finance.
In January 1950, Bill went with a friend to a wedding where he didn’t know anyone but his friend. At that wedding, he met his future bride, Marie Lococo, whose sister Pat was getting married. Bill and Marie were married in Miami, Florida on June 15, 1950, just 6 months later.
The newlyweds moved to Danville, Kentucky where Carol was born on April 17, 1951, followed by Nancy the summer after in 1952. In 1953 they moved back to Miami. Then, in 1954, the young family moved to Hialeah, Florida where they purchased their first home. Their third daughter, Valerie, was born in 1956.
Next the family moved to Lake Worth, Florida, where daughter number four, Rosemary was born in 1961.
In 1963, the family moved to Orlando, Florida, where their fifth daughter, Anne-Marie, was born.
While pursuing a career as a Business Manager for various Chevrolet Car Dealerships, he moved the family to Satellite Beach, Ft. Myers, Memphis and Johnson City, TN. Upon retirement, Bill and Marie returned to Orlando.
No matter where they lived, Bill, was always active in his church serving as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. He was also always active in social organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, and Welcome Wagon.
Bill and Marie traveled extensively over their 67 years of marriage. They enjoyed numerous cruises, river cruises, traveled all over Europe, Asia, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Egypt, Israel, and of course Sicily, Italy.
On November 20, 2017, Bill lost his wife after she suffered with heart problems for more than three years. He was devasted, as were all their children, family, and friends. Just 14 months later, Bill joined his beloved wife in Heaven.
Bill Lindsey was born into eternal life on January 24, 2019. He is survived by his daughters Carol Barnett (Tony), Nancy Swartz (Jerry), Rosemary Tolbert (Dennis), and Anne-Marie Bowen (Hugh), son-in-law, Keith Melvin (Dawn), sister Joan Kopp, cousin/brother Earl C. E. Becker, grandchildren, Angela Melvin, Lisa Melvin Harder (Ryan), Brennan Melvin, Michelle Tolbert Carpenter (Dustin), David Tolbert, Luke Tolbert, Rachel Tolbert, Alexander Bowen, and great-grandchildren, Nathan and Nicholas Harder, and Nora Grace and A.J. Carpenter. He is preceded in death by his precious wife, Marie Lindsey, his parents Ethel Abbot and William Lindsey, Sr., and his daughter Valerie Melvin.
In lieu of flowers, anyone so inclined may make a tax-deductible donation to Honor Flight, Inc., Attn: Meredith Rosenbeck, 175 South Tuttle Road, Springfield, OH 45505 (Please designate your gift to the Central Florida Chapter.) Bill was elated to go on the Honor Flight in September 2018 with fellow veterans of WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam where the Vets flew for free to our Nation’s Capital so they could visit THEIR memorials. The Vets are greeted at the airports both coming and going by hundreds of people who all thank them for their service. It was an amazing experience and really one of the only moments of joy he had after his dear wife died.
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