Barbara Elaine Charping was born on July 28, 1945, in Greer, South Carolina. Her
parents, Hugh Dorsey Charping and Lila Beatrice Runion Charping, brought her home
to meet her older brother, Jimmy Dorsey Charping. Later, the family was made complete
when Elaine received the best gift—a baby sister, Judy Marie Charping.
Elaine attended Wade Hampton High School and was an engaged and diligent student
as a part of the girls' chorus and served as a school marshal. She went on to Anderson
Junior College and was part of the Commercial Club, a new club established in 1964, to
familiarize secretarial students with the inner workings of the business world.
In 1970, after a short and difficult marriage, Elaine shared an apartment in Greenville
with several friends. One day, as she was walking across the pool deck to get ice from
the machine, she was spotted by a young businessman named Hubert Kenneth 'Bud'
Lindsey. He was smitten and immediately starting working on a plan to get a date with
this beauty. Their first outing was a double date and a comedy of errors—on his
part—but she must have enjoyed his company, and they started dating.
On May 23, 1971, Bud and Elaine were married in an intimate ceremony in South
Carolina in her parents' home. Bud's nieces, Mitzi Marie Maxwell and Susanne Kimet
Maxwell, were the bridesmaids. Bud's parents, Hubert Talmadge Lindsey and Lydia
Eugene Helms Lindsey, and his sister, Barbara Jean Lindsey Maxwell, were there to
celebrate the joyful day. The happy couple honeymooned in Switzerland, Austria, and
Germany.
Elaine had worked as a secretary for several years, but soon she would take on a more
challenging role, that of mother. On June 5, 1972, Bud and Elaine welcomed Tyler
Talmadge Lindsey into the family. Then, on February 21, 1974, another
addition—Melissa DeLane Lindsey—came along, and finally, on December 24, 1976,
the Lord provided a gift, Clayton Kenneth Lindsey. Elaine's life was full, and there was
never a dull moment. She used to jokingly comment that her job was to be the cook,
cleaner, and taxi driver. She was the family CFO: clipping coupons, hunting sales,
working deals. For a while, she worked for a neighborhood newspaper and engaged the
labor of her children to roll hundreds of newspapers a week and deliver them from her
white Pontiac. The Dunwoody Crier honored her as "Mom of the Year," giving her prizes
and an article about her life.
In August 1988, Bud and Elaine bought an existing secretarial business. She ran the
business until Bud retired from Harris/Lanier in 1989. Over time, the business
expanded, moved to a newly constructed building, and kept them both quite busy until
late 2004 when they sold the business. Bud and Elaine were both partners in business
and partners in marriage.
As a married couple, Bud and Elaine raised three children, ran a business, bought and
rented out a condo in Florida, took many interesting international vacations, and spoiled
eight grandchildren.
Elaine was an active member of several churches throughout her life. At Dunwoody
Baptist, she rocked hundreds upon hundreds of babies. She gave advice—whether it
was wanted or not—to all of her teenaged children's friends. She was Mama Lindsey
along with Daddy Bud to generations of young people. At First Redeemer, she was part
of a loving Sunday School class. She used a loom to make hundreds of knitted hats for
newborns, cancer patients, and others in need.
In retirement, she began collecting seashells and making intricate art pieces. She sold
shell ornaments and donated the money to Christian charitable organizations. She
made gorgeous shell artwork to give to family and friends. She expressed her love
through her creativity.
Elaine and Bud supported each other through many health problems. Bud was
diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1995, and she was his unwavering support for
decades. In 2009, Elaine had a stroke and was diagnosed with Parkinson's. She
handled it with her trademark sassiness and quick wit. Even when she was in pain, she
made jokes to break the tension. By mid-2023, Elaine's health started to falter. Bud was
her caregiver and nurse every day. Her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren
spent much time with her as she came in and out of the hospital. She was never alone,
even at the end of her life on this earth. She passed from this life to her eternal glory
with Jesus gently and quietly with her dedicated and faithful husband and her oldest son
by her bedside, holding her hand. Elaine met Jesus face-to-face on September 30,
2023 in the early hours of the morning. She was greeted by generations of family,
especially her mother and father and her brother-in-law Dan Goodwin.
She is survived by her husband, Hubert Kenneth 'Bud' Lindsey, her oldest son, Tyler
Talmadge Lindsey, his wife Jennifer Ellen Ballard Lindsey, and children, Lydia Elizabeth
Lindsey Abercrombie (Jacob), and Jonathan Luke Lindsey (Carla); her daughter,
Melissa DeLane Lindsey Hornsby, her husband David Brian Hornsby, and children,
Makayla Shaye Hornsby and Lila Hope Hornsby; and youngest son, Clayton Kenneth
Lindsey, his wife Ginger Lynn Hawkins Lindsey, and children, Jackson Helms Lindsey,
Jordan Leighann Lindsey, Judah Wiley Lindsey, and Jeda Lane Lindsey.
She is survived by her brother, Jimmy Dorsey Charping, wife Anne, and their children
and grandchildren; her sister, Judy Marie Charping Goodwin, their children and
grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, if you feel led, please donate to Whispering Hope Women's Resource
and Pregnancy Center.
133 Samaritan Drive, Suite 306, Cumming, GA 30040
https://www.supportwhisperinghope.org/
The caring staff of Darby Funeral Home is honored to serve the Lindsey family.