Lynndel Lewis GREEN

GREEN, SWITZER, LITTLE, HODGIN, SENEAR, BAKER, LETZRING, MONTHEY, LANDGRAF, THOMPSON, METZ, WEISE, FLICHMAN, GALLEGOS, WILLIAMS, PETERSON, VOELLER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/28/2010 at 21:43:16

Lindy Green, longtime resident of Chapin, Iowa passed away at Franklin General Hospital about noon on Friday, February 28, 2003. His wife, Margaret, was at his side in his final hours. Memorial services will be held at the Methodist Church in Chapin, Iowa at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 6, 2003. Interment will be at Old Chapin Cemetery at a later date. Sietsema-Vogel Funeral Home, Hampton, was in charge of arrangements. The Reverend Richard Parker, Neighborhood Bible Church in Hampton, will officiate. Reverend Parker had visited Lindy from time to time during his frequent hospital stays in the past year and a half and had been a great comfort to Lindy on each visit.

Lynndel Lewis Green, known to everyone as Lindy, was born August 9, 1920 at the rural home of his parents, George Lewis Green and Hazel Gladys Switzer Green near Alexander, Iowa. His first few years of life were spent at various addresses in rural areas in the vicinity of Alexander and Beeds Lake. In 1926 his family moved to Chapin where, except for a few brief absences, Lindy spent the rest of his life. On November 3, 1941, Lindy married Margaret. Over the years Lindy was engaged in a number of occupations including, but not limited to, farming, mechanic work, truck driving, road construction foreman, and, near the end, as manager of a propane terminal. Lindy identified very strongly with his work and, when ill health and the loss of a leg prevented him from working, his despondence probably contributed to his rapid decline. While Lindy involved himself from time to time in various free time activities, the only one that ever really captured his interest for a long period of time was camping with the Wigwam and Wagon Campers. This group of mostly senior citizens would have weekend camp-outs at various parks in the north central Iowa area at which Lindy and Margaret were regularly in attendance. Lindy was handy with tools and much of that which was to be found in and around his home in Chapin, including the house itself, was a product of his hand. At the end of World War II Lindy bought a surplus barracks building from the US Army and had it shipped from Mississippi to Chapin where he used the material to build the house in which he and Margaret raised two children and in which they lived from 1947 until his demise. Family was important to Lindy and the Switzer family reunion, patterned after the reunions of other branches of his family in earlier years, was an important annual event. Lindy and Margaret's two children, Lewis Eugene - known to everyone as Gene - and Dorathy Mae, each had four children. Although Lindy's son Gene's service in the US Army during the years Gene's children grew to adulthood kept these four grandchildren at distant posts around the world, they and Dorathy's four children were always important to Lindy. When great-grandchildren came along they, too, were equally important to Lindy. Fortunately, the youngest daughters of both Gene and Dorathy resided near enough for Lindy to be a regular part of their lives and they in Lindy's life.

Lindy is survived by his wife Margaret Jean Little Green, sister Maxine Elizabeth Letzring of Latimer, Iowa, brother Robert Donald Green of Fremont, Nebraska, Daren Lee Green of Rock Hill, South Carolina, James John Green of Spartanburg, South Carolina and two children: Gene Green (Heidemarie Christine Voeller) of El Paso, Texas and Dorathy (John Hodgin) of Seneca, South Carolina. Surviving eight grandchildren: Eric Lee Green (Lori Michelle Monthey) of Valparaiso, Florida, Aaron Ray Green (Sheila Ann Landgraf) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kurt Lewis Green (Marylee Thompson) of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Sabine Rene Green Senear (Jeffrey Orvis Senear) of Osseo, Minnesota, John Jay Metz of Seneca, South Carolina, Sloane Marie Metz of Anderson, South Carolina, Margo Jean Metz of Denver, Colorado and Amanda Hodgin Baker of Seneca, South Carolina. Surviving great-grandchildren include Candus Judith Green of Tampa, Florida, Gary Green of Valparaiso, Florida, Shannon Olivia Green of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Larry Eiler Senear (Kristina Weise) of Crystal, Minnesota, Joshua Orvis Senear, Sosha Rose Senear, Heide Marie Senear, Sara Lynn Senear and Seth Lewis Senear of Osseo, Minnesota, Ryan Metz of Strasburg, Colorado, Angel Marie Metz of Anderson, South Carolina, Ralph, Bobbi and Amy Metz of Denver, Colorado, Melissa Metz of Pueblo, Colorado and Cherica Metz of Grand Junction, Colorado. Lindy was very involved in and took great joy from the five Baker great-grandchildren who lived next door in Chapin; Steven Randall Evert Baker, Ashley Lynn Baker, Levi Gilbert Baker, Paulina Rose Baker and Joshua John Baker. Step-great-grandsons include Tristan Lee Peterson of Madrid, New Mexico, Daniel Ray and Andrew George Flichman of Valparaiso, Florida and Christopher Steven Gallegos of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Also surviving are great-great-granddaughters Summer Senear of Crystal, Minnesota and Novia Williams of Anderson, South Carolina and step-great-grandson Austin Lee Peterson of Madrid, New Mexico. Lindy was preceded in death by his oldest sister, Trella Ailene and his youngest sister, Pearl Mabel. Although Lindy's father lived to the ripe old age of 97, it was the death of his mother when Lindy was a mere lad of 17 that affected him greatly throughout his life.