Verl D. Lindley

Verl Dean Lindley

December 9, 1924 May 6, 2017



Verl Dean Lindley was born, December 9, 1924, in Oklahoma to Pauline and Buford Lindley. Soon thereafter, the Lindleys moved to Southern California where Verl was raised in Huntington Park. Verl was a member of the Class of 1941 at Huntington Park High School where he was a member of the Scholarship Society. Months after his 18th birthday, Verl joined the United States Army Air Corps and served as a Lieutenant Navigator for the 456th Bombardment Group during World War II. On one of his first missions, Verl and the other members of his B-24 crew were hit by enemy fire and forced to parachute to safety.



Following the war, Verl attended Pasadena Nazarene College (now Point Loma University) where he graduated with honors in 1949. During his college days, Verl served as assistant pastor at Bell Friends Church. At Bell Friends, Verl was active with Los Angeles County Christian Endeavor through which he met his wife, Lois. Following their wedding on August 25, 1947, the Lindleys moved to Wilmore, Kentucky where Verl attended Asbury Seminary. Upon completing his first year at Asbury, Verl and Lois returned to Southern California where Verl finished his studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.



Verl served as pastor of the First Friends Church in Los Angeles before founding Granada Heights Friends in La Mirada with six other families in 1955. Over the years, Verl deeply and broadly invested himself at Granada as well as the Evangelical Friends Church Southwest where he was especially involved with overseas missions and Quaker Meadow Camp. For his longstanding service and significant contribution to the local community and the church at large, Verl was awarded an honorary doctorate from Biola University. Verl retired from the pastorate, as well as 38 years of service at Granada, in 1993.



Following sixty years of marriage, Lois died in 2008. The next year Verl married life-long friend and recent widow, Marilyn McNichols. The two were blessed with eight years together.



On Saturday afternoon, May 6, 2017, at the age of 92, Verl was called home to be with the Lord. His immediate family members include daughters Judi (Doug) Hammer, Joyce (Bob) Webster, Joan (Jack) Elwood, Jean (Dave) Kaiser, 15 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.



A celebration of Verls life will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 2:00 p.m., Granada Heights Friends Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to:



The Building Fund at

Granada Heights Friends Church

In Memory of Verl Lindley

11818 La Mirada Blvd.

La Mirada, California 90638

http://www.nowsprouting.com/granadaheightsfriendschurch/

(562) 943-7255