It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of our former League board chair and former CEO of Clinchfield Federal Credit Union, Sandy Lingerfelt. Sandy passed away on Monday, April 6.
Sandy dedicated so much of her life to the credit union movement, serving 43 years as CEO of Clinchfield Federal Credit Union and more than 50 years on her credit union board. Sandy also served as the Tennessee Credit Union League board chair from 2000 to 2002 and was inducted in the League’s Credit Union Hall of Fame in 2011.
In an article highlighting Sandy’s recipe for success, she recounts how she fell in love with the credit union movement: “I immediately fell in love with the credit union movement because of how they give back to the community. One of my fondest memories of helping members at Clinchfield Federal Credit Union was issuing “Mother Teresa Loans” – a $400 loan to use on groceries or whatever immediate need there was.”
Even after retiring, Sandy continued to serve the credit union movement. She shared her passion for jewelry-making with guests at volunteer leaders conferences and she served on the Clinchfield Federal Credit Union’s Board of Directors.
“Sandy lived life to the fullest,” said Amy Banks, current CEO of Clinchfield Federal Credit Union. “She loved big and did everything from her heart. No one loved Clinchfield Federal Credit Union as she did. She embodied the credit union mission of people helping people, both professionally and personally. Clinchfield Federal Credit Union and the credit union movement will never be the same, but we will all do our very best to honor her legacy as we move forward.”
Sandy was a champion for the credit union movement through her service to Clinchfield Federal Credit Union, her service on various boards of directors at the state and national levels, and her advocacy efforts in Nashville and Washington, D.C. She shared friendship, encouragement and guidance with everyone she met.
“Sandy never ceased to amaze me,” recounts Caroline Bays of the Tennessee and Mississippi Credit Union Association. “When I first met Sandy, I was brand new to the credit union industry, and Sandy immediately took me under her wing. She became my friend and taught me so much about credit union history, the importance of what we do in this industry, and even invited me over to learn how to make her legendary cinnamon bread. Sandy was known far and wide for her delicious cinnamon bread, which she so generously shared.”
And if you are interested in learning to make Sandy’s sourdough bread, here’s a lesson from a 2023 cooking segment on WJHL-TV in Johnson City.
As we reflect on Sandy’s legacy, we will remember her passion, dedication, cinnamon bread and sass!
See Sandy’s obituary.
