[Dialogue] Last Chapter- Norm Lindblad

[Richard Alton]

In the face of great loss, no words convey the sadness we feel for those
who loved Norm Lindblad. Yet we dare to say Death is neither a curse nor a
blessing, an end or a beginning, but only that it is a wondrous,
frightening and redemptive reality. It is a step into the Unknown Unknown.
It is sacred, and it is good.


Even though Death is universal, it is also unique---because every life is
unrepeatable. It arrives in its own time and is always shocking, even when
it is anticipated. It can be painful or peaceful, timely or not, tragic or
strangely welcome, or all of the above at once. We don’t choose the manner
or the moment and can only respond by acknowledging its finality and
trusting what was, is and will be. We go on.

Whether you celebrate death as a Home Going or as a finality that prevents
you from being with your loved one physically, acknowledging death is
important. We accompany you in your grief. We pray for you in your journey.
We hope for your experience of being accompanied by the Divine Spirit. May
it sustain you in your sorrow. Our hearts are with you.


We are grateful for what we learned and how our lives were enriched because
of the unique life of Norm Lindblad. We offer here our appreciation for the
contributions he made.


Norm Lindblad was a hard worker, proud Swede, Global Citizen, and lifelong
learner with a great sense of humor. He was born on the Southside of
Chicago in 1936 the only child of Swedish immigrants.  Attended Ruggles
Grade School, represented his school on the WLS Quiz Down show and led the
Safety Patrol. At Hirsch High he enjoyed Science and played basketball and
softball with a Church League while making a little money as a soda jerk
and stock boy at Kirschenbaum Drug Store. The family were active in the
Evangelical Covenant Church and he enjoyed Summer Church Camps at Lake
Geneva, Wisconsin.


At the University of Illinois Norm majored in Metallurgy and helped pay his
college bills by delivering milk during the summer. Upon graduation in 1958
he worked briefly at Inland Steel before he was drafted, joined the Navy,
and was sent to Officer Candidate School in Newport Rhode Island.  During
his his three years in the Navy Norm served as Nuclear Weapons Officer for
his Squadron on USS Ranger Aircraft Carrier in the Far East, taught at the
Naval Air Intelligence School in Washington, DC, and met his wife Judy
O’Neill, aide to Representative Morris Udall of Arizona, at New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church during coffee hour. They married in 1962 and had 3
children and 6 grandchildren.



Norm worked for the General Electric Company in Schenectady, NY and
Cincinnati, OH developing high temperature alloys for gas turbines and jet
engines.  He has 5 patents and found the work challenging and interesting.
His final assignment was on a collaborative development team tasked to
create a “High Speed Civil Transport” that could fly to Asia from the US in
six hours.  Norm’s management skills helped competitor Pratt Whitney, GE,
and NASA work together and make progress...but money was shifted to the
Space Station in 1997 and Norm decided to retire in 1998 at 62.



This allowed time for trips with each of the six grandchildren, Winters in
Tucson and Summers in Long Beach Indiana (corn hole anyone?), while taking
senior interest classes and volunteering in community service with churches
wherever he was.  His thoughtfulness and caring for the least of these was
noted and appreciated.



In 2005 Norm summarized a bit of his life journey in this way:

“From 108 degrees in Tucson to -22 degrees F in Schenectady we survived -
ballgames and skiing and great kids. Ran into Ecumenical Institute in “67
which changed our thinking and life directions for the last 38 years.  Took
a Global Odyssey in 1974 and between the 2 of us, we’ve been in over 30
countries and will hit our 50th State (Alaska) in 2 weeks with our oldest
grandchild.”



Another note I found recently while going through his files...

“I led an engineering group at GE.  I used our ICA methods and enabled
staff to come up with their own decisions, not just management. They bought
into engagement and using their own ideas and plans for new engine
developments for the future.  It was great to see people creating the
future and not waiting for management to tell them what to do.”



I received a sympathy card this week from one of Norm’s team who commented
on how effective and enjoyable Norm was to work with and called him a
“Butterfly Effect “ manager...quiet, soft wings flapping and big results.



Norman R. Lindblad passed April 10, 2020 in Cincinnati, OH after almost 10
years of Alzheimer’s disease challenges, during which he took up painting
and drawing, hiking, and attending grandchildren’s soccer matches, musical
programs, and plays.



Norm used to describe giving to the ICA as getting more bang for your
buck!  We have felt we are supporting Approaches that Work and
collaborative action as ICA thinks ahead comprehensively and risks
pioneering the new that is needed...good reasons for giving.







-- 
Richard H. T. Alton
One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF)
Green Community Connections
Interfaith Green Network
T: 773.344.7172
richard.alton at gmail.com
**Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2021, March *
http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org

Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2
Won't you be my neighbor?
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