Hugh Lindsay Obituary Hugh Lindsay March 13, 2015 Lindsay, Hugh T. A Minneapolis business executive for decades in the 20th century as president of Lindsay Bros. Co, one of the nation's largest farm implement wholesalers, died March 13 at his cherished Huntington Point home on Lake Minnetonka. He was 97. He is survived by sons, James and his wife, Laura of Rio Verde, Ariz, Daniel and his wife, Helen, of Huntington Point, and their children, Theodore & wife Rebecca, and Alexander; and daughters Rhoda, of Rio Verde, Ariz., and Laurie Roland and her husband, Bernie, of Evergreen, Colo. and their children, Hillary and Michelle. Hugh overcame the challenges of childhood polio to succeed as leader of Lindsay Bros. Co. from 1948 until the company was sold in 1985. The family business was founded in 1865 as a general store in Oronoco, Minn., by brothers Thomas B. Lindsay and William, sons of Scottish immigrants, and remained as a private family company until the 1985 sale. Hugh T. Lindsay was born on June 16, 1917 in Minneapolis. He attended Kenwood Elementary School and graduated from West High School in 1935. He continued his education at Carleton College, graduating in 1939. He spent one year with Lindsay Bros., Inc. of Milwaukee, a separate company founded by other brothers of Thomas and William in the early 1860s. The Milwaukee concern distributed agricultural equipment in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. The Minneapolis Lindsay Bros. Co. served Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Montana and the Dakotas. The company had offices in Des Moines, Mason City, Omaha, Mankato, Sioux Falls, Minot and Fargo. Hugh married Rhoda Belcher in 1941, beginning a new chapter of family life that included golf, tennis, skiing, hunting, traveling and more. Family and friends still talk about the Lindsays' annual Fourth of July picnic at their lakefront home, followed by boat rides to Crystal Bay to take in the fireworks show. He was an avid opera fan and guarantor for New York Metropolitan Opera productions in the Twin Cities. He was a great supporter of his beloved alma mater, Carelton College, as well the Jones-Harrison Home. Hugh approached his membership in the Minneapolis Rotary Club with fervor, and was noted for his near-perfect attendance over decades. A story about him in the December, 1963 Minneapolis Rotary "Journalette" pointed to a 95% attendance record over an 11-year period, followed by two years at 100% attendance. He was named to the Rotary's board of directors in 1963. He was heavily involved in farm equipment industry-related concerns and served as president of the Farm Equipment Wholesalers' Association, which encompassed Canada and the U.S. He also was president of the Northwest Farm Equipment Association. In addition, he served as a director of the First Hennepin State Bank of Minneapolis which later became the First Northtown National Bank. Hugh also served a term as chairman of the Board of Employers Association of Greater Minneapolis; a trustee of the National Association of Wholesalers; chairman of the NAW Minnesota Task Force on Product Liability Tort Law Reform; and mayor of the Village of Minnetonka Beach. Hugh T. Lindsay was a prolific story-teller and could recall details about events dating back to the early 20th century. He's likely to be expanding that talent even as we gather to remember the life of a very busy man. A memorial will be held at 4:30 p.m. with visitation starting at 4 pm Saturday, March 21, at the Lafayette Club, 2800 Northview Road in Minnetonka Beach Facts Death: March 13, 2015