Richard E. Martindale, a former Navy chaplain and Baptist pastor, died Feb. 25. He was 83.
When he was growing up, Martindale — a native of Texas — moved to Germany with his family on a U.S. Army assignment. He returned to the U.S. in 1955, finished high school in Georgia, then earned his bachelor’s degree in theology from Howard College (now Samford University). He also earned a master of theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Martindale and his wife, Roselyn, lived in New Orleans and then Pensacola, Florida, before he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Following chaplain school in Rhode Island, he was commissioned into the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps and stationed in the Philippines. His military service took the family all over the world, with duty stations in the Philippines, Florida, California, North Carolina and Italy. He retired as a lieutenant commander in 1988.
Teaching and preaching
Martindale retired to Thomasville, where he pursued two more master’s degrees and a teaching certificate at Livingston College (now the University of West Alabama) and the University of Montevallo. He taught English, speech and ethics at Alabama Southern Community College (now Coastal Alabama Community College) for 20 years.
Throughout his career, Martindale served as pastor and interim pastor of numerous churches, including several in Alabama — County Line Baptist in Arlington; Salem Baptist in Dickinson; Center Point Baptist in Coffeeville; Chilton Baptist in Grove Hill; Oak Grove Baptist in Pine Hill and Dixon’s Mills Baptist. Most recently, he was pastor of Bashan Baptist Church in Thomasville.
He also served at Warrington Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, and Walnut Hill Baptist Church in Walnut Hill, Florida.
Martindale is survived by his wife of 60 years, Roselyn; two daughters, Rachael and Rhonda; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.
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