THOMAS JEPTHA "T.J." SPINDLE was born on
Jan. 17, 1906 in Snyder to M. Lee and Luna Spindle.
He died Oct. 28, 1952 in Ranger, TX and is buried
in Evergreen Cemetery.
He had two brothers Marlin L. (RHS-1932) and Leon
(who died in the influenza epidemic of 1918), and
three sisters; Jettie Mae Morgan, Bonnie Keener
(RHS-1930), and Lola Lee Forbes (RHS-1940) of
Andrews, TX.
He was married to Lillian Maureen Hagar in June of
1938, in Ranger. Lillian, the daughter of A.L. and
Samantha Hagar was born in Baird and attended school
in Colony.
With M. Lee Spindle in poor health, T.J. worked to
support his parents. He was working in the oilfields
when he returned to Ranger to help his family.
T.J. was an agent for American National Insurance
from 1938-1952 in Ranger. He and Lillian raised their
family on Eastland Hill on Breckenridge Highway.
When T.J. died, their children were Richard Lee
(RHS-1958), Joyce Ann (RHS-1961), and Oran Randall.
All of the Spindle children attended Hodges Oak Park
Elementary School. Randall was in the fifth grade when
he moved with his Mother to Bethany, OK, and Mrs.
Spindle still resides there.
Joyce Ann Spindle Owens resides with her husband Sam
Owens (RHS-1959) in Midland. They have two children. Dr.
Richard Lee Spindle resides in Olathe, KS, where he
is President of Mid-America Nazarene University. He has
published several books and he and his wife, the former
Billy Jetton, have three children, Robin Coulter, Dr.
Blair Spindle, and Regan Veach. Dr. Randall Spindle has
been a professor at Southern Nazarene University in
Bethany, Oklahoma, for over 30 years. He and his wife,
Dr. Debra Spindle live in Oklahoma City where she is a
librarian for the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library.
They have two sons Tim and David.
WIFE: LILLIAN MAURENE HAGAR SPINDLE, 96,
crossed over into the arms of her loving Lord on March 18,
2013 in St. Ann's Nursing Home in Oklahoma City where she
had resided almost seven years. She was a longtime resident
of Bethany, OK, and was a member of the Bethany First
Nazarene Church. She had lived at the Southern Plaza
for five years. Interment was at the Evergreen Cemetery
in Ranger, TX.
She was born July 19. 1916 in Baird, TX to Dallas Arthur
Lee Hagar and Samantha Hawkins Hagar. She was the youngest
of twelve children and lived forty two years of her life
in Ranger, TX before moving to Bethany, OK in 1962. At
the age of 36 she was widowed & raised her three children
alone. She was preceded in death by her parents, her
husband, T.J. Spindle (RHS-1926), 7 brothers: Oran,
Clarence, Cecil, Vernon, Jessie, Truman, Bailey, and 3
sisters: Oma Cook, Vera Doyle, and Velma McCrary.
At the time of her death, she was survived by three
children and spouses: Richard (RHS-1958) and Billy
Spindle of Olathe, KS, Joyce and Sam Owens (RHS-1959)
of Burnet, TX, and Randall & Debra Spindle of Oklahoma
City, OK. Seven grandchildren and spouses: Cherryl
and Richard Rusk of Round Rock, TX, Robin and Craig
Coulter of Oro Valley, AZ , Sandy and Tod McDaniel of
Midland, TX, Blair and Tollya Spindle of Bethany, OK.,
Regan and Jason Veach of Portland, OR, David & Angela
Spindle of Oklahoma City and Tim and Cassie Spindle of
Tulsa, OK. Also ten great grandchildren: Zachary
(Carrie) Rusk of Round Rock, TX, and Meredith McDaniel
of Fort Worth, TX, Blake Rusk of Houston, Clayton Rusk
of Waco, TX and Trent McDaniel of Lubbock, TX. Ashley
and Collin Coulter of Oro Valley, AZ, and Bethany and
Bailey, and Brooklyn Spindle of Bethany, OK. Carter
Veach of Portland, OR. And two great-great grandchildren,
Addison and Barrett Rusk of Round Rock. One brother,
Frank Hagar of Abilene, many nieces and nephews and
many precious caregivers of the St. Ann's Nursing Home
in Oklahoma City.