Rev. Frances Lindsey

Rev. Frances Ione Ruark Lindsey, 93, passed away Wednesday, October 5 at Arbor Acres United Methodist Retirement Center in Winston-Salem. Frances was the oldest of four children born to the late Bryant Whitfield "Whit" Ruark and Beulah Ione Stiffler Ruark. "Fran" was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 27, 1917 and grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois. She graduated from Duke University where she was a member of Tau Kappa Alpha, a national speech sorority. Wife to a minister and district superintendent in active service in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, Fran went back to Duke University after the age of 60 and became a minister because by that time she said she knew how to preach. She was active in Church Women United and many women's rights movements. A board member of The Children's Home in Winston-Salem and also the Bethlehem Center in Winston-Salem in her earlier years, she became the Director of the Bethlehem CEP Day Care Center in 1969. She was also at one time the Director of Calvary Moravian Day Care Center in Winston-Salem and Director of the Concentrated Employment Program Day Care Center. Frances was also Chairman of Christian Social Relations of the Women's Society of the United Methodist Church in the Western N.C. Conference. In addition to her parents, Frances was preceded in death by her sister, Alice Ruark Charves, and two brothers, Frank Ruark and James Ruark, a son-in-law, John Loflin, a grandson, Jonathan Lindsey, and a great-granddaughter, Hope Loflin. Fran is survived by her husband of almost 72 years, Dr. Julian A. Lindsey of Arbor Acres, four children, Bryant (Linda) Lindsey of Morganton NC, Alice (Will) Caylor of Denver NC, Julie Loflin of Greensboro NC, and Stuart (Rebecca) Lindsey of Mooresville NC. She also is survived by six grandchildren: Lynanne (Danny) Newman of Martinsville VA, Joel (Elisabeth) Lindsey of Atlanta GA, Chris (Heidi) Loflin of Raleigh NC, Nick (Kristen) Loflin of Greensboro, NC, Benjamin (Sara) Lindsey of Mooresville NC and Evan Lindsey of Mooresville, NC. She is survived by eight great-grandchildren: Eric Hollandsworth of Roanoke VA, Alyssa Hollandsworth and Kelsey Newman of Martinsville VA, Samuel Lindsey of Atlanta GA, Chloe and Quynh Loflin of Raleigh NC, as well as John Michael and Abigail Loflin of Greensboro NC. A service of celebration will be held on November 26, 2011 at 1:00 pm in the sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church at 214 North Academy Street in Mooresville, NC. Reverend Randy Sherrill, Reverend Kathie Clontz Sherrill, and the Reverend Doctor George Thompson will lead the service. Following the service and commitment of ashes in the new church columbarium, the family and church members will welcome visitors in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to Central UMC, Planned Parenthood, any animal rescue organization, or the Mother's Day Fund at Arbor Acres. As "Francie" wrote for us before she died, don't grieve for her because she is now dancing her way into Eternity.