Charles Lind

Charles Ronald (Ron) Lind went to meet his Lord on March 23, 2014. He was born June 15, 1936, on a farm near Ogden, Iowa to Clements and Cleta Highfill Lind. The family moved to Boone, Iowa where Ron attended grade and high school. He graduated from Boone Junior/Senior High School in 1954. Ron excelled at all sports and earned a football scholarship to Drake University, where he played for four years as a first string running back. He was a member of the 1958 Sun Bowl team, which was the highlight of his football career. On August 18, 1957, he was united in marriage to Joy Marlene McAlpine at the First Christian Church in Boone. To this union where born three children, Brian, Susan and Brett. Ron started work for the J.C. Penney Company immediately after graduation from Drake University, where he worked as a department manager in Boone, Austin, Minnesota and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 1965 he was transferred to Albion, Nebraska, where he was a store manager, a position which he held for several years. He then bought a furniture store in Albion, which he ran for 20 years. Ron and his wife moved to Hastings, Nebraska in 1986, where he worked until he retired in 2002.

Wherever he lived, Ron played baseball, basketball, slow-pitch softball and fast-pitch softball. He also enjoyed racquetball, volleyball, golfing and bowling. He coached Little League baseball when his sons were of that age, rode horses with his daughter when she was in 4-H and took a great deal of joy and pride in his children as they grew and participated in a variety of sports. He never missed one of their events. Ron also refereed football and basketball for a number of years while in Albion. Keeping physically fit was important to Ron, but so was serving his community. While in Albion, he was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, serving one year as president, as well as being active in the Kiwanis Club. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in both Albion and Hastings, holding various offices in each of these churches. He belonged to the Christian Builders Sunday School class in Hastings.

Ron was preceded in death by his mother, father and younger brother, Jerry; his mother and father-in-law; his stepfather-in-law; his brother-in-law and one niece. He is survived by his wife, Marlene, and his three children; Brian and wife, Deb, of Norfolk, NE; Susan and her husband, Hank (Kim) Nelson, of Manhattan, KS; Brett and his wife, Diane, of Pine, AZ. He is also survived by his foster daughter, Linda Koci of Columbus, NE; 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

A Service of Celebration of Ron's life here on earth, and of his new, eternal life with our Lord, will be held at Grace United Methodist Church in Hastings, Nebraska on Saturday April 12, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer's Society, the YMCA of Hastings, Nebraska or Grace United Methodist Church.