Reverend John Raymond Tindell April 2, 1936 – December 31, 2020

Reverend John Tindell has been called home after a lifetime of service to the lord, many communities in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, and his family. He died peacefully at home under hospice on December 31, 2020 after a struggle with complications from a stroke.

John was born on April 2, 1936 in Miami, Florida to John J. and Mary L (McLean) Tindell. His mother raised him in their neighborhood Allapattah Methodist Church which led to his goal at age 12 of serving as a Methodist Pastor, a path he followed for almost all of his adult life.

John met Beryl Insinger while they were students at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. They were married in 1959 while John was finishing a Master's in Divinity from Emory University and following Beryl's agreement to a life of adventure in Alaska and beyond. The two traveled the globe together extensively. Beryl died in 2018 after 60 years of marriage.

In his deepest self he was an explorer, following mission opportunities in Cuba, Appalachia, Scotland and over 35 years in Alaska. He was the founding pastor of the Sitka United Methodist Church and the first pastor of the then newly combined Methodist and Presbyterian Northern Light United Church in Juneau. He also led the East Anchorage and Anchorage First United Methodist Churches. After his official retirement in Alaska, John served four more churches, two in Idaho and two in Oregon. His final assignment was 11 years as pastor of the Seaside United Methodist Church in Seaside, Oregon.

John is survived by his two children, Raymond and Cynthia ("Cindy"), grandson Kevin, and sister Estelle Lima of Miami. Raymond is a Portland, Oregon attorney and graduate of University of Miami (Florida) and Southern Methodist University Law School. Cindy is a graduate of Georgetown University, has master's degrees from Columbia University and the Harvard Business School, and is a vice president at NextEra Energy in Palm Beach, Florida. In retirement years, John and Beryl enjoyed being a part of the life of grandson Kevin, a doctoral student at Arizona State University.

A "Zoom" Celebration of Life and Ministry is planned for Saturday January 30 at 11 AM Pacific. Please contact [email protected] for details. In memory of John's life, donations may be made to the Alaska Methodist Conference, the Pacific Northwest Methodist Conference, or the Seaside Oregon United Methodist Church.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Juneau Empire from Jan. 6 to Feb. 5, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for John Tindell

10 Entries

Gary Hill

October 30, 2021

Pastor Tindell was present when my mother died, in her home in Seaside. He was reading from Psalms and I was sitting near. No one else was present. I remember the moment she expired. I will always remember his devotion to his profession and to his congregation.

Brother in Christ

February 12, 2021

I’ll never forget Reverend Tindell’s quiet presence by my mother’s side after my brother passed away. What a comfort he was. God bless his eternal soul and God bless his family. He was one of the kindest men I’ve known.

Rev. Daniel Lush

January 23, 2021

John changed the course of my life. I greatly deepened my Christion experience because of him. He called me into church leadership and ministry at FUMC, Anchorage when I was a member of that church in the 1980"s.

James Ambrose

January 12, 2021

John had a lasting positive influence on college students at Florida Southern in forming the Southerneers. He, also, organized a group of mostly untrained men into a coral singing group at Florida Southern. John was a real friend for life. I especially enjoyed seeing John & Bea on their trips to visit family in Florida. Jim FSC '60

Ted Phillips, MD

January 7, 2021

Great memories of a valued friend from our days together in Sitka, Alaska in the 1960's

Joseph Robinson

January 7, 2021

My condolences to John’s family.

Kenneth Lafavour

January 7, 2021

I was a member of the Northern Light congregation when John was the minister there. I remember him as a man who went out of his way to see to the needs of not only members of the congregation, but people in the community as a whole.
He certainly had a positive impact on my life.
The world is a much better place because of John.

January 6, 2021

My condolences to the family . May you find comfort in your treasured memories
and Gods promise to return our loved ones . 1st Thessalonians 4 : 13 & 14 .

Susie Holway

January 5, 2021

I admire John's love of Alaska, his love of learning, and his life-long dedication to the church. He and Bea had such love for life, and for each other.

Cindy Tindell

January 5, 2021

Godspeed dad. We’ll done, good and faithful servant.

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