CHAPLAIN Captain Stanford E. Linzey, age 89, passed away February 4, 2010 in San Diego, California. He resided in Escondido with his wife, Verna M. Hall Linzey.  He was born October 13, 1920 in Houston, Texas to Stanford Linzey and Eva Fay Westphal Linzey.

In the late 1940's while attending college and seminary, he pioneered and built the church in El Cajon on the corner of Avocado and Washington Streets, then called "The Evangelistic Tabernacle," an Assemblies of God Church.

Chaplain Linzey served in the U.S. Navy eight years as an enlisted musician, then served as a Navy Chaplain 20 years, being the first Chaplain representing the Assemblies of God denomination in the regular Navy. Captain Linzey retired in 1974 and continued preaching the Gospel as an evangelistic speaker and author.

He served in World War II, and was a survivor of the USS Yorktown that sunk during the Battle of Midway. His book, "God Was at Midway," told the story of his experiences during that battle.

He earned the B.A. and Th.B. degrees from San Diego Baptist Bible College and Seminary; Master of Divinity from the American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley, CA. He studied at the Harvard Divinity School. He earned the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. He was an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God denomination, a member of the San Diego Christian Writers Guild, a member of the Northern California Christian Businessmen's Fellowship, and the Chaplain of the USS Coral Sea Alumni Association.

Captain Linzey has spoken around the world as a minister, university lecturer and featured speaker at retreats. His humor and matter-of-fact communication was a delight to all. He has led over 5,500 men and women to faith in Christ and expounded on the experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Captain Linzey married Verna May Hall on July 8, 1941, in Hidalgo County, Texas. They had 10 children, five girls and five boys, many of whom followed him in military chaplaincy, the field of ministry or at the forefront in education. He is survived by wife Verna May Hall Linzey, originally of Coffeyville, KS; daughters Gena English of Bella Vista, AR; Janice Mathis of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Dr. Sharon Linzey of Costa Mesa, CA; Vera Clark, of Lake Elsinore, CA; sons Stanford E. Linzey III, of Siloam Springs, AR; Dr. George W. Linzey, of La Mesa, CA; Chaplain Paul Linzey of Vine Grove, KY; David Linzey of Huntington Beach, CA; Chaplain Jim Linzey, of Escondido, CA, and a sister, Evelyn Hasbrouck of Tennessee.

Dr. Linzey was preceded in death by his father, Stanford Linzey of Dehesa, CA; his mother, Eva Fay Westphal Linzey of Dehesa; his brother Garnet Lee Linzey of National City and daughter Virginia Darnelle Lemons of Fresno, CA. Interment will be conducted with full Military Honors at Riverside National Cemetery at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, February 19th.

Published in San Diego Union-Tribune on February 14, 2010

Stanford Linzey's books are available from Amazon.com