John Lindsay, 88

LENOX, Mass. — John Gardner Lindsay, 88, of Lenox and formerly of Pittsfield, died peacefully on July 27, 2017.

John was born May 18, 1929 in Castile, NY, the son of John D. and Marion G. Lindsay. John attended two years of college at Missouri Valley College and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. In 1954, he married Anne (Nancy) Rogers Paddock in Wilmette, Illinois. They moved to Pittsfield in 1959, where they raised their family and joined the Berkshire County community.

For 30 years John and Nancy spent their winters in Naples, Fla. They moved permanently from Pittsfield to Kimball Farms in Lenox in 2013.

In 1959 John joined his father to start Lindsay Chevrolet in Pittsfield. He always loved his work and spent endless hours growing the family business, a testament to his strong work ethic. He later bought Hallowell Cadillac Oldsmobile and renamed the two dealerships "Car Country." He remained in the business until the late 1980s.

As an avid golfer, John belonged to both the Country Club of Pittsfield and Wilderness Country Club in Naples, where he was known to play twice a day in his retirement. John created many lifelong friendships on those golf courses as he was a fun and colorful golf partner. He was also a longtime member of the Rotary Club and served on various boards throughout his career.

John's sharp mind, quick wit and memory of faces and stories entertained his friends and family until his death. No matter where he and Nancy traveled, John's easy smile, quick laugh and great sense of humor endeared him to others.

John cherished visiting Lake Champlain with his family for more than 50 years, where they spent time with his sister, Joan and her family.

Nancy, John's beloved wife and best friend of 60 years, predeceased him in 2014. He is also survived by his loving children, Anne Lindsay, David Lindsay, Margy Stevens and Carrie Howard. He is also survived by his sons-in-law, David Schwarz, Rob Stevens and Willie Howard; his daughter-in-law, Becky Lindsay; and his five grandchildren, Andrew and Kathryn Lindsay of Poway, Calif., and Wills, Jack and Elizabeth Howard of Hopkinton, Mass.

Funeral notice: A celebration of John's life will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2017, at 1 p.m. at his latest residence, Kimball Farms, 235 Walker St. in Lenox, in the auditorium. John's family extends an invitation to family and friends and all are encouraged to come and share their own stories about this special man.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in John’s memory may be made to Berkshire Children and Families at 480 West St., Pittsfield, MA 01201, or the Rotary Club of Pittsfield, 1 West St., Pittsfield, MA 01201, both in care of the Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.