Associate Francis Lindsay
Born to earthly life: November 26, 1923
Covenanted with SSND: September 23, 1995
Entered eternal life: October 31, 2008
Francis was born November 26, 1923 to John and Mary Ranier Lindsay in Denver, Colorado. He was the youngest of over 10 children. Being of Irish extraction, Irish was spoken in their home during his early years. As was common during the Great Depression, he, and presumably some of his brothers and sisters, were placed in an orphanage, Mount St. Joseph. It was here that he celebrated his First Eucharist and Confirmation.
Francis served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. He related to me that he served as a guard for prisoners being transported between countries in Europe, and in the Philippines. After the war, he attended culinary school in San Francisco, and worked for a time as a cook. He continued to Jove to cook throughout his life. He was especially proud of his Banana -Pumpkin Cream Pie. (Unfortunately, I did not find a recipe for it among his belongings.)
During the 1950s, Francis was a Tertiary Brother for a period of time in the St. Louis Province of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans). Prior to the Second Vatican Council, many religious orders of men had Tertiaries or Claustral Oblates who did not take vows, but lived in community wearing a slightly different habit from those who did. One of his brothers was a priest. At least two of his sisters became women religious.
After leaving community life, Francis moved to Chicago where he became a Special Officer with the Chicago Police Department. For a time he also served in jail ministry in the city and in state prison facilities.
In the mid 1980s, Francis came to Milwaukee to be near an elderly aunt, moving into Convent Hill on Jefferson St. It was at this same time that he became acquainted with SSND and decided to become an Associate. He made his initial Covenant in 1995. During his retirement, he volunteered at the Milwaukee County Jail as a chaplain, and for many years served every Sunday as a sacristan at Old St. Mary's Parish.
In the last few years, his health declined slowly, but he was never known to let limitations restrict him from living a busy life. In the fall of 2007, he moved into the new Convent Hill building on Ogden St. In mid-September Francis entered into the final chapter of his life when he was hospitalized at the VA Hospital. After two weeks in the Palliative Care unit, he died on October 31, a fitting day for someone of Irish descent since that night was considered the most thin of "thin places" by the ancient Celts. Thin places were believed to be times during the year when the veil between this world and the next was at its thinnest. He was the last surviving member of his family.
Francis will be remembered for his sense of humor, his being a friend to all, and for his grasp of a wealth of knowledge on a wide variety of topics which led to his being a wonderful conversationalist. He was fluent in Spanish and enjoyed dabbling in other languages.
A Memorial Mass was held on November 30 at Notre Dame of Elm Grove chapel with Francis' long-time Milwaukee friend Fr. Daniel Sherman, MM, presiding. S. Mary Ann Sadowski was accompanist and S. Barbara Linke was cantor. Readers were Associates Mary Ann Kinney and Bonnie Christman. S. Debra Marie Sciano and I served as ministers of communion.
Francis is buried at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery in Union Grove Wisconsin.
– Associate Jim Gill
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