Anne Hodges Lindquist

LINDQUIST Anne Hodges Lindquist, age 66, of Easton, died Friday, February 24, 2006 at her home surrounded by her family. Born, February 27, 1939 in Hackensack, N.J., she was the daughter of the late Clarence West and Elizabeth Sherry Hodges. Anne's love of community was apparent throughout her life. At The Covenant Church of Easton, she served on the church council for six years (most as chair). She co-chaired the Service Ministry, which connects members of the congregation with opportunities for community service through organizations such as Alpha Community Services, Habitat for Humanity and the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. In recent years, she worked with the Covenant Church's denominational body on the national level. During this time, she became deeply involved in fostering a new program that promotes reconciliation between races from a grassroots, community level. As a result, The Covenant Church took part in one of the first workshops offered by this program on the weekend preceding Martin Luther King Day this past January. Partnering with the Jesus Saves Ministry in Bridgeport, the workshop celebrated and furthered the already vibrant multi-year relationship between the two churches through hands on discussion and services. Anne was founder of Alpha Home of Bridgeport, renamed Alpha Community Services (ACS), a branch of the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA, this non-profit agency continues to provide services and shelter to families and individuals striving for self-sufficiency. ACSs mission is to address the needs of this vulnerable population through a continuum of care including emergency shelters, the Jean Wallace transitional housing program and permanent affordable housing. In the near future, the Jessica Tandy Residence will address the needs of homeless families also dealing with the effects of HIV/AIDS. Anne served as executive director during the merger with the YMCA and as chair of board for many years. She continued to serve on the bard of directors until the time of her death. When the Easton Public Library, Town Hall and Police Department were built ten years ago, Anne served as the chair of the building committee. She was on the library board, where she served as president for two years and was a member of the Friends of the Easton Public Library. She was thrilled to see the high volume of use enjoyed by both the library and its community room. Anne also spent several years serving on the board of First Baptist Housing of Bridgeport, which provides low income housing in the city. She was a Girl Scout leader in Easton for many years and continued to be active with the Housatonic Girl Scout Council. Concerned with education, she worked with both the PTA and the American Field Service. When Anne was instrumental in laying the foundations for the works mentioned above, she was always most pleased when other people would pick up the torch, continuing to develop those organizations in new directions. Her life's work was bringing people together, regardless of socioeconomic background, race or religion, creating space for them to be in dialogue with each other. The roots of Anne's lifelong commitment to issues of social justice and racial understandings go back to the early 1960s. She traveled extensively with Up With People throughout Europe and the United States and the experiences she had during that time affected her profoundly. An avid gardener, Anne loved working in her rock gardens at the home she and Bob built and lived in for 34 years. She was a wonderful wife, mother, sister and friend. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her and were touched by her kindness, courage and spirit. Surviving are her husband of 38 years, Robert Craig Lindquist; four children, Ellen, Carl, Cindy and Kirsten; three sisters, her brother and sister-in-law and their spouses, Marilyn and Richard Nehls of Auburn, Calif., Ellen Saul and John Besse of Albert Lea, Minn., Susan Hodges and Timothy Denny of Athens, Ga., Carl and Julie Lindquist of Chaplin and Janet and Richard Hoyt of Easton. A Memorial Service will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, 2006 in the First Presbyterian Church of Fairfield, 2475 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield. Pastor Craig Carlson, of the Covenant Church of Easton, will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Alpha Community Services, Anne Lindquist Memorial Fund, 387 Clinton Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605 and to The Covenant Church of Easton, Anne Lindquist Memorial Fund, 1 Sport Hill Road, Easton,