Lindley Charles Stacey Jr.

October 29, 1953 - April 29, 2025

Lindley Charles Stacey Jr., the son of Lindley and DeOnn (Atherton) Stacey was born on October 29, 1953 in Charles City, Iowa and passed on April 29, 2025 in St. Charles at the age of 71.  Lin grew up in Glen Ellyn, IL and attended Glenbard West High School where he was involved in cross country, wrestling, choir, theatre, photography and angler’s club.  Lin returned to his beloved Iowa and attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon where he was also a member of the cross country and wrestling teams. He sang in both the operetta and Highlanders singing group and was a yearbook photographer. The men of the Beta Omicron fraternity became his dearest friends with whom he caused “good” trouble.  According to Lin, no one ever got hurt!   After graduating with a degree in biology in 1975, he completed his Master’s Degree in Biology at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 1977. Lin began his teaching career in Tonica, IL where he taught for two years before moving to Glen Ellyn High School District #87 for a year. In 1980, Lin began teaching 7th grade science (biology) at Thompson Middle School in St. Charles. He continued this work at Wredling Middle School until his retirement in 2011. Lin truly impacted the lives of more than 4,500 students.  It was at Thompson Middle School that Lin met Pat. They were married on June 14, 1985 and lived in St. Charles where they raised their family. Lin had a passion for teaching, which he shared with students and family alike. Family vacations always had educational stops, featuring both museums and hands-on activities. Road trips were always filled with trivia games or quizzes on the music playing on the classic rock station. On nature walks, he could name every species of plant and animal, and he’d collect any litter he found along the way to leave the path better than he found it. No matter the trip, if there was a battleship or aircraft carrier in the area, Lin and family were sure to visit. He could rattle off the hull numbers and knew in which class each of these ships belonged.  Someone enjoyed this activity more than others! Outside his teaching career, Lin was a man of many interests and hobbies, including his work as a DJ, a woodworker, photographer, taxidermist, wrestling coach, and an animal lover.  He raised and rescued many pets, including his favorite, Chi Chi, a crow he found in the backyard of his childhood home. As an adult, he could most often be found in his workshop, with the Chicago Cubs on the radio, as he refurbished tools from classic V8 Ford automobiles or created beautiful woodworking projects.   Lin was the National Tool Advisor for the Early V8 Ford club for 28 years and an active member of its Northern Illinois Regional Group. In 1987, he bought and began work on a 1942 Ford Sedan Coupe.  After Lin’s extensive research and restoration work, the ‘42 earned the prestigious Dearborn Award in 1992.  As a boater, fisherman and a water skier, Lin enjoyed his time on any body of water. Lin will be remembered for his quick wit, his playful spirit, his love of the Cubs and any team who beat Notre Dame, his nightly bowl of ice cream, and his generous heart. He was famous for his lighthearted pranks, usually including sticking his finger in someone’s ear, preemptively sampling a birthday cake, and making it difficult for his colleagues to pay attention during a faculty meeting. He loved to laugh and make others laugh with him. He had a story for every occasion, though not all of them were appropriate for all audiences. Lin was a beloved mentor, neighbor, friend, son, brother, father, and husband. His relationships were paramount to who he was, and he will forever live in the hearts of those who had the pleasure to know him.  He is survived by his wife, Pat, his children:  Lin III (Pam), Tyler (Anna), siblings Kathie (Paul), Gordon (Liz), Marybeth (Dan), Tom (Janis), Pat’s eight siblings and spouses, and several cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.  He is preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Jim Riner. A celebration of Lin’s life will take place on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 from 4:00PM – 8:00PM at Riverside Banquets, 35 River Lane, Geneva, IL, with a time of remembrance at 6:00PM. The bar will be open and hors d’ oeuvres, ice cream and cookies will be served.  The family is asking that you take a moment to jot down a favorite story of Lin that they can add to a memory box. The family requests donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation, parkinson.org (http://parkinson.org) or The Lewy Body Dementia Foundation (http://www.lbda.org)Guest BookShareEmailPrint