In Memoriam: Mary Jean Lindner, GWSB ’51

Mary Jean Lindner, GWSB '51, a longtime philanthropist and recipient of one of the George Washington University's inaugural Spirit of GW Awards, died May 18. She was 100.

Her husband of 68 years, GW trustee emeritus Thaddeus A. Lindner, A.A. '50, B.A. '51, passed away in December 2020. In 2019, the couple were honored at the inaugural Spirit of GW Awards for their career achievements, service and philanthropic contributions. At the time, they had made 68 consecutive years of annual gifts to the university.

The couple supported GW across a range of areas, including an endowed scholarship fund and professorship. The Elliott School of International Affairs' Lindner Family Commons is named in their honor.

Lindner, née Wellford, was a college graduate taking night courses at GW in 1951 when she met her husband-to-be. "Tad" Lindner, a World War II veteran attending GW on the G.I. Bill, was an outstanding undergraduate who served both as president of GW's student government association and as captain of the university's golf team.

While still a student, he launched Colonial Parking, Inc., with fellow student Sergius "Serge" Gambal, B.A. '52. Mary Jean Lindner was Colonial Parking's first cashier, and the enterprise would become the District of Columbia's largest parking services company. The couple married in 1952, with Gambal serving as best man.

According to her obituary, Lindner was a fourth-generation Washingtonian whose earliest American ancestor was George Washington's personal physician. She was hired by the nascent CIA shortly after graduating from Randolph-Macon Woman's College (now Randolph College), eventually rising from the position of typist to that of intelligence officer. She was a reader, artist, art collector and avid athlete, enjoying field hockey, swimming, softball, tennis and-like her husband-golf. Lindner also was a recipient of Randolph College's Alumna Achievement Award.

The Lindners' legacy at GW extends beyond volunteerism and philanthropic support: Several generations of family members also graduated from the university.

"It's so appropriate that the room is called the 'family' commons, the Lindner Family Commons," former GW trustee and Elliott School professor Edward "Skip" Gnehm Jr., B.A. '66, M.A. '68, said in a video produced for the 2019 Spirit of GW Awards. "Both [Tad] and Mary Jean and other members of the family have just contributed so much to this university."