Richard Lindle Blevins was born to Annie Alverda Walker Blevins and William Jennings Bryan Blevins in Batesville, Arkansas, on October 16, 1948. He departed this life at his home in Violet Hill, Arkansas, on August 20, 2024, at the age of 75. Lindle grew up in Violet Hill and graduated from Violet Hill High School in 1966. He earned an athletic scholarship to Southern Baptist College (now Williams Baptist University) in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, where he played basketball and baseball. On April 19, 1969, Lindle married Carolyn Trivitt, and to this union two sons were born, Brooks and Kermit. He was a member of Fairview Missionary Baptist Church in Violet Hill for sixty-four years and served the congregation as a deacon and Sunday School teacher for many years.

Upon graduation from the College (now University) of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas, in 1971, Lindle returned to Violet Hill High School as a teacher and basketball coach. In a coaching career that spanned almost four decades, he became one of the most successful and versatile high school coaches in northern Arkansas. In thirteen years at Violet Hill, twenty-four years at Mt. Pleasant, and two years at Melbourne, Lindle led his girls' and boys' teams to dozens of tournament championships and multiple state tournament appearances. One of only a handful of coaches in Arkansas history to win state titles in both girls' and boys' competition, he led the Violet Hill Coyotes to the 1983 Class B state championship and the Mount Pleasant Lady Bluebirds to the 1999 Class B state championship, accomplishing the latter only weeks after Mount Pleasant High's gym burnt to the ground. Lindle led the Lady Bluebirds to a runner-up finish in the 2000 state tournament and a final four appearance in 1991. He also coached baseball for several years, taking Violet Hill to the regional semifinals in 1981. In addition to a long coaching career that had an impact on countless people, he was a cattle farmer and an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt, fish, and cut wood.

Lindle is survived by his wife of 55 years, Carolyn of the home; two sons, Brooks Blevins and wife Sharon of Violet Hill and Kermit Blevins and wife Katy of Sage; three grandchildren, Bryan Blevins and wife Lauren of Violet Hill, Audra Clark and husband Ryder of Sage, and Annie Blevins of Violet Hill; sisters Carolyn Gillihan of Melbourne and Beverly Glasser and husband Don of Violet Hill; mother-in-law Ollie Trivitt of Ash Flat; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Dwayne Blevins.

Visitation will be held Thursday, August 22 at Eddie's Family Funeral Home in Melbourne. Funeral service will be Friday, August 23 at 10:00 a.m. at Fairview Missionary Baptist Church at Violet Hill with Bro. Randy Bailey officiating. Burial will follow at Violet Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to the Bluebird Alumni Scholarship at Bluebird Alumni, c/o Bruce Qualls, 1115 Bowser Road, Mount Pleasant, AR 72561.