Uvalde Rex Lindsey's Obituary
Uvalde Rex Lindsey, 85, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, passed away on July 19, 2025. He was born on January 17, 1940, in Harrison, Arkansas, to Uvalde Roy and Otie Sue (Turney) Lindsey.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Jo Dodson Lindsey of Fayetteville; his children, Roy Beth Lindsey (Ed) Kelley of Russellville, Suzette R. Lindsey (Albert) Noble of Fayetteville, Mathew B. (Natalie) Lindsey of Springdale, Michael G. (Toni) Lindsey of Bentonville, and John Mark Lindsey of Fayetteville; and his stepdaughters, Nora (Jim) Hall and Linda (Tim) Wallis, both of Springdale. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his former wife, Carol Bennett Lindsey.
Uvalde graduated from Harrison High School in 1958, where he served as Student Body President and was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas, where he was a proud member of Sigma Chi fraternity.
Following the death of his father, Uvalde became the owner of Continental Auto Supply at the young age of 23. He built a successful business, expanding to 18 stores across three states before selling it to O’Reilly Automotive in 1982.
He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1962 to 1972, rising to the rank of First Lieutenant and serving as a company commander.
Uvalde’s dedication to public service began with his election to the Harrison City Council in 1972, where he served for a decade, including three terms as budget chairman. He later served as budget officer for Governor Bill Clinton and worked on U.S. Senator David Pryor’s 1984 re-election campaign.
In 1985, he became Executive Director of the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, where he helped secure federal grants for rural transportation, aging services, and economic development. He played a key role in the designation of U.S. Highway 412 and was a founding leader of the Northwest Arkansas Council, advocating for major regional projects including the Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), Interstate 49, and the Two Ton Regional Water District.
After retiring from the Council in 2004, Uvalde continued his public service with two terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives and two terms in the State Senate. He was widely respected for his expertise in state budget matters and his advocacy for children with autism and other disabilities. He retired from public office in 2018.
A faithful disciple of Christ, Uvalde was a devoted member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, Uvalde also served on the Vestry and as Senior Warden at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Harrison.
Uvalde received numerous honors throughout his life, including the Distinguished Goblin Award from Harrison Public Schools, the Honorary Lifetime Member Award by the Northwest Arkansas Council, the Golden Eagle Quality of Life Award by the Northwest Arkansas Community College, the Barclay Matthews Award for Distinguished Legislative Leadership by the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce, the Marilyn Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Michael Donald Carver Legacy Award, among many others.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Arkansas Autism Research and Outreach Center in Little Rock or Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Northwest Arkansas.
A service celebrating Uvalde’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 25th at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. Interment will take place at a later date in the family plot at Maplewood Cemetery in Harrison, Arkansas.
Uvalde’s legacy of leadership, vision, and service will continue to benefit the people of Northwest Arkansas for generations to come.
To place an online tribute, please visit https://www.bernafuneralhomes.com
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