May 20, 2022 - Dr. W. Terry Lindley, University Professor of History, will retire from Union University at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year after 36 years of faithful service in the Department of History.
Lindley was a devoted, widely-read educator. He demonstrated commitment in the classroom and served as an academic advisor to numerous students. As the faculty advisor to the Rutledge Honorary History Club for 26 years, Lindley had pizza parties at his home, coordinated the annual History Department Awards Banquet, arranged club-sponsored dinners at local restaurants, had the club participate in several history-related community service projects, and helped organize club movie nights. He was very supportive of the Delta-Psi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, regularly participating in its local activities and attending many regional conferences in Tennessee and neighboring states as a panel chair/commentator. One way that he demonstrated his loyalty to Union was through his regular purchase of books for the school’s library, a book total that stood at 1,841 at the end of April 2022. He also supported the Carls-Schwerdfeger History Lectureship and other Union University projects financially. Finally, Lindley was active professionally, writing scholarly articles, authoring a multitude of book reviews, and attending numerous conferences of the Society of Historians for American Foreign Relations and the Society for Military History.
The history department recognized Lindley at its History Department Awards Program on April 28, 2022. All department members participated by indicating what he meant to them as a colleague and mentioning ways in which he strengthened the history department at Union. They gave him an engraved crystal award as a token of their appreciation for his 36 years of service as a professor of history at Union University.
On May 11, the history department, acting on behalf of the university administration, presented Lindley with a professor emeritus diploma that recognized the new status that the Union University Board of Trustees voted to confer on him at its spring meeting on April 22. Lindley was one of seven professors to receive emeritus status this spring.
Finally, Union University formally recognized Lindley’s retirement at its annual faculty-staff luncheon on May 20, 2022. Dr. Stephen Carls introduced him when it was Lindley’s time for recognition, and Lindley mentioned some career highlights in response. The university gave him a mantel clock for his retirement gift.
Dr. Stephen Carls (right) presents a crystal retirement award to Dr. Terry Lindley at the History Department Awards Program on April 28, 2022.
Dr. Terry Lindley talks about his years as a professor of history at Union University at the History Department Awards Program on April 28, 2022.
Becky Lindley, wife of Dr. Terry Lindley, is introduced during the retirement recognition ceremony for Dr. Lindley at the History Department Awards Program on April 28, 2022.
Dr. Terry Lindley (second from left) accepts his professor emeritus diploma from Dr. Stephen Carls (center) on May 11, 2022. Other history department faculty members present for the occasion are Dr. Henry Allen (left), Dr. David Thomas (second from right), and Dr. Keith Bates (right).
Dr. Terry Lindley (center) accepts a clock from Union University President Dr. Samuel W. "Dub" Oliver (left) as his retirement gift for his 36 years of teaching at the institution. Joining in the photo is Dr. Stephen Carls who was Dr. Lindley's presenter at the award ceremony. Photo by Suzanne Rhodes
Dr. Terry Lindley reminisces about his educational career during a recognition of his 36 years of service to Union at the annual faculty-staff luncheon on May 20, 2022. Photo by Suzanne Rhodes