Chandler Roosevelt Lindsley passed away on July 19. She left this world on her own terms while working in her garden. She was married for 55 years to Henry Dickinson Lindsley III, who passed away in 2011. She is survived by three children (Ruth Roosevelt Lindsley, Henry Hays Lindsley and Chandler Roosevelt Lindsley), six grandchildren (Hattie, Annie, Wade and Louisa, children of Allyson and Hays; Hays and Swiler, children of Chandler and Larry Boyd), and two brothers (Tony Roosevelt and David Roosevelt). Chandler was the daughter of Ruth and Elliott Roosevelt. She is preceded in death by her half-brothers William Donner Roosevelt and Ted Eidson. Chandler was born in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1934. Her early years were spent on the family ranch near Benbrook, Texas. Her family moved to Ft. Worth when she was ten, where she lived until college. After graduating from the Hockaday School in 1952, Chandler attended Vassar College, the University of Colorado and later, the TCU Ranch Management School. She and Henry settled in Dallas, but both enjoyed weekends at the family ranch near Era, Texas, which Chandler actively managed for 40 years. She served on the Boards of Trustees of four independent schools and was active in volunteer work, primarily in the education field. She also served on the Governor's Advisory Committee on Education (1979-81), the Coordinating Board of Texas Higher Education (1981-87), Nursing Education Study Committee for the Texas State Legislature (1989-90), and the Higher Education Governance Study Committee (1990). Chandler was a lifelong supporter of the Hockaday School, where she proudly served on the Board of Trustees (1968-74), was the president of the Hockaday Alumnae Association (1972-73), and was a founding member of the Alumnae Board of Visitors. As a result of her tireless involvement in and devotion to the school, Chandler received the Hockaday Medal in 1996, the school's highest honor for an alumna. By presidential appointment, Chandler was nominated to the Roosevelt Campobello International Park Commission in 1990, where she served until 2015. To raise funds for the park, Chandler published several books featuring favorite Roosevelt family recipes and compilations of memorable quotes from Eleanor and Franklin. Chandler was an active member of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church where she served as a member of the vestry (1973-76), President of the St. Michaels Foundation (1979), and President of the Women of St. Michael (1981). A supporter of the Dallas Arboretum from its inception, Chandler was pivotal in the establishment of the Lindsley Shadow Garden. She also published several small volumes of seasonal favorite recipes to be sold at the gift shop, with all proceeds benefiting the Arboretum. A service to celebrate her life will be held at St. Michael and All Angels Church on Tuesday, August 28, at 4 p.m.
Published in Dallas Morning News from July 26 to July 29, 2018