Volunteering is a labor of love for Roberta and David Lindeen

April is National Volunteer Month, and Aldine ISD is fortunate to have a couple that selflessly give of their time and resources to students in the district.

David and Robert Lindeen have devoted 37 years volunteering at Stephens Elementary School, where Roberta serves as the school’s registrar.

David has also volunteered at Orange Grove Elementary School, Hinojosa EC/Pre-K/K School and Ogden Elementary School, but Stephens is home base and is Principal Shauna Showers ever happy about that fact.

“Mr. and Mrs. Lindeen are Stephens Elementary,” she said. “No matter what is happening on the campus, the Lindeens are always willing to lend a helping hand. They both have hearts of gold and impact the lives of the students and staff with all the little things they do everyday. I am truly blessed that my journey as a principal has this wonderful couple in it. Every person they come in contact with is better for having known Mr. and Mrs. Lindeen.”

The Lindeens were honored at the April 16 Aldine ISD Board of Trustees meeting for all the years they have volunteered in the district.

David retired from his job as a manufacturing supervisor in 2012 and that freed up even more time for him to volunteer in Aldine schools.

He remembers fondly that during Texas’ Sesquicentenial (the state’s 150th anniversary) celebration in 1986, he and other built a replica of the Alamo out of corrugated boxes he donated to Stephens.

“It was built to scale, and it was something else,” he said, with a laugh.

The two started dating in 1965 when she was at Aldine High School and David was at Furr High School in HISD. In the fall of 1966, Roberta moved to MacArthur High School and was a member of the school’s first graduating class.

The Lindeens recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

“I brought him over to Aldine and I didn’t let him leave,” Roberta said, with a laugh.

David assists where and when needed. Last summer, he installed the legs on 1,800 desks at Stephens, has served as Santa Claus and the duo have worked too many book fairs to count and are fixtures at Stephens’ sports day.

Roberta helps with morale at Stephens by providing teachers with candy. She keeps a supply handy on her desk if a teacher or staff member is in need of a pick me up during the day.

The Lindeens have two adult children, Chad, who works for Invesco, and Shawn, who is an assistant principal at Ben Milam Elementary School in Conroe ISD. Their daughter-in-law Priscilla Lindeen works in student services at the Bamberg Building.

They are the proud grandparents of four grandchildren. Megan who attends Texas Women’s University, Derrick who is a sophomore in Conroe ISD, and Ari and Miles who attend school in Spring Branch ISD.

When their children attended MacArthur High School, they served as band volunteers, worked on the Project Prom Committee and spent many a cold night supporting the school’s fledgling soccer program.

“Sometimes we were the only two parents at Mac soccer games,” Roberta said.

The Lindeens are also active in their church, First Baptist North Houston, where David serves as vice chairman of the deacons.

When asked why they give so much of their time to others, it didn’t take David long to respond.

“We like to work with kids and people,” he said. “I believe that you have to give back to your community. It’s important.”

When they have down time, they like to baby sit their grandchildren, attend their sporting events and do yard work.

“We like spending time together and with our family,” Roberta said.

And Aldine ISD is fortunate the Lindeens relish spending so much time with its students.