James D. Lindsey, Jr

James D. Lindsey Jr., 65, passed away March 7, 2015, at his residence in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was born Sept. 23, 1949 in Queens, New York. James graduated from Martin Luther High School and worked at Camp Herrlich, where he introduced the outdoors to inner city teens. The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma recruited James for the school's first men's basketball team. He majored in political science, participated in the student government, and graduated in 1976. In college, he also met the love of his life, Ramona Parker. The two married October 11, 1980 at the USAO Chapel in Chickasha. Over the years, the couple lived in Oklahoma City; Forrest Park, Ohio; and Pauls Valley. They have two daughters, Jennifer and Jessica. James tried out many occupations before finding the perfect fit as a millwright for General Motors. He also founded the Model Car Junkyard, an online store for model car parts. When the Oklahoma City GM plant closed, he was transferred to the plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was a member of the United Auto Workers and the Northeast Indiana Model Car Club. He liked to cheer on the New York Yankees, the Millwood Falcons, the USAO Drovers, the New York Giants and the University of Southern California football team. He also liked to read about history and politics, to travel, and to research his family genealogy. In addition to cooking, James was a gourmand of barbecue ribs, having tried them at hundreds of locations across the country. He also appreciated Jamaican food like his grandmother and mother fixed and a good Jewish deli. He was preceded in death by his father James D. Lindsey Sr. He is survived by his wife Ramona Lindsey; daughters: Jennifer Lindsey of Ardmore and Jessica Lindsey of Killeen, Texas; mother, Ruth McConnell Lindsey of Reidsville, NC; and sister Bayyinah Abdul-Aleem and her husband Muhammad of Philadelphia, Penn. A memorial service took place Thursday in Fort Wayne, Ind. In lieu of flowers, which James did not care for, please donate to the scholarship funds being set up at USAO and Camp Herrlich in James' name. For USAO, designate it for the USAO Foundation James Lindsey Scholarship, online at www.usao.edu/giving/usao-foundation, mail to USAO Development Office 1727 West Alabama, Chickasha, OK 73018 or phone (405)574-1349 or 1-800-933-8726. For Camp Herrlich, send checks, noting they are for Jim Lindsey, to Camp Herrlich, 101 Deacon Smith Hill Road, Patterson, NY 12563 or online at www.campherrlich.org.