Ellis C. Lindsey Jr. was passionate about music.
The University of Mississippi alumnus earned a degree in business in 1951 and had a successful 40-year career at Texaco (now Chevron). But, after his family and his church, it was music that Lindsey most enjoyed.
Whether it was singing in the church choir in his hometown of Moss Point, Mississippi, attending an opera or spending an evening listening to classical music, Lindsey devoted much of his time to music-related endeavors.
Lindsey passed away three years ago at the age of 93. However, his passion continues to touch the lives of former and current Ole Miss students majoring in music education, such as Frankie Amore, a UM junior.
“Because of the generosity of the late Mr. Lindsey, I was able to purchase my own bassoon and continue to pursue my academic goal of majoring in music,” said Amore, originally from Charles Town, West Virginia, and a former UM student-athlete.
Amore is one of three current Lindsey-Snell Scholars at the university. Thanks to the scholarship endowment established by Lindsey in 2002, Amore and many other Ole Miss music majors have received financial assistance over the last 20 years.
The Lindsey-Snell Scholarship honors the memory of Ellis Lindsey Jr.’s father, Ellis Cleveland Lindsey Sr., and his mother, Esther Snell Lindsey. The endowment supports students pursuing a music degree and is awarded based on scholastic ability, leadership potential and financial need.
Lindsey created the scholarship with an initial gift of $5,000 but regularly contributed to the endowment over the years. Upon his death in 2021, his estate gift provided an additional $120,000 to the scholarship.
“Mr. Lindsey’s generous gift means many future generations of UM students will be able to pursue their music-filled dreams,” said Nancy Maria Balach, chair of the Department of Music and director of the UM Institute for the Arts.
“The Music Department is grateful for the years of support Mr. Lindsey gave during his life and the enormous impact he will continue to have as his legacy lives on for years to come through his estate gift,” Balach continued. “He truly appreciated music and the arts, and I so appreciate Mr. Lindsey’s vision to provide transformative opportunities for our music majors.”
As a junior, Amore is immersed in classes and performances and is excited about the many opportunities available to him.
“I don’t have a specific career path set, but whatever it is, I know that I want to be working with young people and supporting them as they work to achieve their dreams that involve music or sports and/or their faith,” he said.
“I’ve had many helpful and influential mentors and role models in my life, including coaches, teachers, counselors and others, and I want to be able to do that for as many people in future generations as possible,” Amore said. “I feel that being a music major will help prepare me for what I hope to accomplish after college.”
To make a gift to the Music Department in the College of Liberal Arts, visit here or contact Delia Childers, director of development, at dgchilde@olemiss.edu or 662-915-3086.
For more information on providing an estate gift to Ole Miss, click here or contact Marc Littlecott, advancement director for estate and planned giving, at marcplan@olemiss.edu or 662-915-6625.
By Jonathan Scott/UM Development