Elon University Trustee Emeritus Jack Lindley died May 5 at the age of 88. Lindley served 17 years as a trustee and five as trustee emeritus. He was a member of Elon’s Order of the Oak, Elon’s giving society. He and his wife, Dorothy, created the Jack R. and Dorothy C. Lindley Scholarship to support Alamance County students attending Elon.
Lindley and his wife also contributed to the construction of the Koury Business Center, Alumni Field House, Belk Library and Jimmy Powell Tennis Center. He served on Elon’s board of visitors from 1998 to 2001 and received many awards within the community, including the Frank S. Holt Business Leadership award in 2000, Citizen of the Year by the Kiwanis Club in 1994 and the Alamance County Man of the Year by the Alamance District Boy Scouts in 2004.
The second-floor lobby in Sankey Hall is named the Lindley Family Gathering Space, and Lindley Court on the west side of Alamance is named in honor of his family.
He also contributed to the Alamance County Area Chamber of Commerce, including service as chairman in 1993 and received the Chamber’s Director of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year awards. He was an active member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church and served as treasurer for over 50 years. Patrick Noltemeyer, secretary to the board of trustees, was not available for immediate comment.
Lindley and his wife have three children — including Elon graduate Jay Lindley ’83, 11 grandchildren — including Elon MBA graduate Will McGowen ’20 — and 18 great-grandchildren.
The Lindley family will receive visitors at noon on May 9 at Rich and Thompson Funeral Home in Burlington. The celebration of his life will occur at 2 p.m. in the funeral home’s chapel. There will be a private burial Wednesday.