Posted April 22, 2017

 

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – Tracy Evans Tindal Sr., former president of Schlafhorst, Inc. who also worked with three major players in the industry, died Thursday, April 20, 2017 at his home after a lengthy illness. He was 73.

 

His 30-year career in the textile industry began after the U.S. Army, where Tindal became a well-known and respected leader. He was innovative, hardworking and fair in his dealings with everyone, according to his family.

 

Tindal was employed with Burlington Industries, Springs Mills and Cannon Mills before ending his career as president of industry supplier Schlafhorst, Inc., based in Charlotte.

 

After graduating from James Island High School, he attended Clemson University, where he received a B.S. in textile science in 1966. While at Clemson he was a member of ROTC and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army upon graduation.

 

Bill Steen, vice president of manufacturing at Central Textiles, Central, S.C., said he knew Tindal since 1979, when Tindal joined Springs Industries. When he was running Springs’ Biscoe Plant, Steen reported to Tindal. In March 1981, Tindal was recruited to Cannon Mills to head up the Bedding Division, and he offered Steen a position as vice president of greige bedding manufacturing, which consisted of 13 mills that Cannon operated to make sheets and pillowcases, Steen recalled.

 

“Last week, the textile industry lost another great one,” Steen said, in remembering his longtime friend and colleague. “You need only to read his obit to really realize the person he was. As one of my daughters told me this morning, ‘he was like one of my uncles,’ always buying every dessert on the menu to see how she liked them.

 

“As a mentor to me, he was ‘courageous, tenacious and a tough gentleman," to quote a mutual friend in the industry,” Steen added. “As a friend, he will be sorely missed.”

 

Dan Loftis worked directly for Tindal as vice president of Sales for Schlafhorst and Zinser from 1989 to 1999.

 

“He was a terrific guy to work for, very supportive and very engaged and focused on the business,” Loftis said. “He was honest and hard working and he had a tenacious competitive spirit. He could be tough but was a good listener and fair minded. He had a saying, we all lived by: ‘Do the right thing no matter how hard’ and ‘all ties go to the customer.’ The industry definitely lost a superstar in Tracy Tindal.”

 

To read the full obituary or sign the guest book, please click here.

Obituary

Tindal retired as Schlafhorst president

after 30-year textile industry career