Jerry Dean Tindel

Jerry Dean Tindel, 83, a visionary Christian man who was passionate about family, the church, and leading others to Christ, died May 14, 2020, following complications from surgery. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, at the McDade Cemetery, 1876 U.S. Highway 290, McDade, Texas.

Born January 11, 1937, in Oklahoma City, he was adopted a few weeks later and grew up as a farm boy, mostly on the banks of the Washita River, helping his father grow wheat, cotton, and cattle. Active in Future Farmers Association first at Madill High School, and later at Chickasha High School, he played in the school band, edited the school newspaper, and won awards for raising registered Hereford cattle and chickens, even placing 17 ^th nationally in a land judging contest.

Jerry always told friends that his most important birth, however, was on April 6, 1949, when he was baptized into Christ at the age of 12 by his cousin Virgil Trout at the Anadarko Church of Christ congregation, which his mother and her sister had helped to establish.

A Bible and Greek graduate of Abilene Christian College, now ACU, Jerry planned to become a missionary and participated in a mission trip to Germany. He also earned his pilot’s license and flew to Bordon County every Sunday, where he landed on a county road in front of a church member’s home and preached morning and evening services at the church nearby. His senior year, he and his roommates drove to Oklahoma and preached at three different churches every Sunday.

After graduating from ACU, Jerry and the late Floyd Rogers joined an Army Reserve unit in Abilene that was called to duty for a year. He was in the Army Reserve for another 4½ years after that.

Before he graduated from ACC, he and fellow student Charles Stelding established Teenage Christian magazine. While helping to establish the magazine, Jerry and his roommate Floyd took jobs at Quality Printing Company, where Floyd installed a cost accounting system and Jerry learned to operate every piece of typesetting, printing, and binding equipment, as well as every other detail involved in the efficient production of magazines.

By the end of the magazine’s first year, subscriptions had reached 10,000 and the magazine was sold to Sweet Publishing Company. Jerry took a position as sales and production manager for Sweet in 1962. In this role, he worked with many churches and their ministers and educational directors.

During this time, he married Nancy Gayle Stagner, the company’s receptionist and secretary and they became active members of the Brentwood Church of Christ (now Brentwood Oaks). More than his professional work, Jerry’s service in many capacities at the church and at the Brentwood Christian School consumed his heart.

The couple started “Training for Worship” to take place on Sunday mornings during adult worship services. They led a group of volunteer leaders who sat on little church benches with the little ones and all the elementary students for a brief lesson and communion service, followed by age-appropriate short classes, and then a time for play.  Many of today's parents and grandparents at the church and elsewhere were students in “Training for Worship.”

During his years as a deacon, Jerry had a hand in the initiation of the annual Brentwood Oaks Family Retreat at the HEB Foundation Camp and served on the committee that oversaw the team of missionaries the church supported in Guatemala. Jerry also taught many Bible classes for both children and teens through the years. Throughout his life, Jerry conducted many private Bible studies and led many men and women to Christ. He frequently proposed ideas to church leaders for new programs.

Jerry served a term on the Board of Brentwood Christian School and taught computer classes as a substitute for the regular teacher after she was diagnosed with cancer and went through a series of operations and treatments.

At Sweet Publishing, he led in the addition of new curriculum for Churches of Christ, “The Living Word” curriculum, first for youth and then for adults, noted at the time for the innovation of life application lessons with each Bible lesson. Later, he helped to initiate the Living Word Commentary series.

When Sweet Publishing Company was sold in 1979, Jerry had played a key role in helping the company to increase sales from $162,000 in 1962 to $3 million. After the sale of the company, Jerry held similar positions at other publishing companies, including Hart Graphics.

In 1994, Jerry left publishing and went in business with his son Todd, who owned Cutting Edge Lawn Care. He managed the office, computer, and marketing functions, for Cutting Edge, which has grown to over $2 million in sales serving over 800 mostly residential clients. The Tindels attributed their business’s success to operating as if Cutting Edge belonged to the Lord, treating both clients and employees as they would want to be treated.

Jerry adored his wife Nancy and often found reasons to compliment and brag about her. On their 50 ^th wedding anniversary, November 14, 2014, Jerry wrote a beautiful tribute in her honor. He was equally proud of his children and six grandchildren. He made sure they knew he loved them and sought every opportunity to praise them for good deeds and achievements.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Melvin and Lou Willie Tindel, and his sister and brother-in-law, Wanda and Jim Reynolds.

In addition to Nancy, his wife of 55 years, Jerry is survived by son and daughter-in-law Todd and Shelley Tindel and their son Wes; daughter and son-in-law Tammy and Keith Welch and their daughters Abigayle and Allyson; son and daughter-in-law Trey and Michelle Tindel and their children Kelli, Brandon, and Baileigh; brother-in-law Terry Stagner and wife Vicky, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brentwood Oaks Church of Christ or Brentwood Christian School, Austin, Texas.