AS LONG AS IT’S OLD:
A Remembrance of Dick Lindsey
Photos of Dick Lindsey in his younger days.
By Betty Krasne
That might have been the motto of Richard “Dick” James Lindsey. Many in Kent are familiar with Dick Lindsey through his love of old books and old cars, but he and his wife Charlotte each had long connections with Kent before they met or were associated with old books and cars.
Dick grew up and went to school in Connecticut, earning a degree in Business Administration and Accounting, which meant that when the Army came calling, they wanted him for the Finance Corps and sent him off to Alaska. On his return to Connecticut, he earned an MBA and that led to a job at the Kent School as Business Manager and Assistant Treasurer.
Despite their familiarity with Kent, Charlotte and Dick met and married in Cornwall, where they both lived at that time. But he was always drawn back to what had been his father’s business: buying and selling old books. After he married Charlotte Irving and retired from the Kent School, they tried living the life of antique booksellers in Maine, where his father had lived. But before long they migrated back to settle in Kent, where Dick became a mainstay of numerous civic groups and co-chair of the Annual Kent Car Show.
The Lindseys bought the building on Main Street that became both their home, and the home of Richard Lindsey, Bookseller, and Dick could be seen driving around town in his latest old car. But there came a time when running a business and living in their two-story building became too much. Fortunately, Kent Affordable Housing had recently completed Stage 3 of its housing at its Stuart Farm development. It wasn’t old, in fact it was brand new, but there was a one-bedroom apartment for which they qualified.
They were the first tenants and appreciated the western view of sunsets and the patio where they could enjoy the garden they planted. On the other side was a parking space for Dick’s latest old car. Inside, they brought several bookcases filled with old books and fixed a cozy corner for reading. The apartment was the place where Dick died, surrounded by family, and the place Charlotte now is cheered by the giant sunflowers her daughter Libby planted out front.
This article appeared in the late 2023 newsletter.