John W. Linde Jr.

1942 - 2025

John W. Linde Jr.

NEW SALEM, MA - John Walter Linde, Jr., a.k.a. Jack, 82, passed away February 9, 2025 at the Cooley Dickinson Hospitalin Northampton, MA.

He was born February 16, 1942 at the Lucy Helen Memorial Hospital in Fitchburg, MA to John and Lillian Linde of Fitchburg, MA.

Jack graduated from Leominster High School in 1961, Saxton Trade High School of Leominster in Machine Tool Drafting Design in 1962 and earned an Associate's Degree in Machine Tool Design from Northeastern University of Boston, MA in 1963. He designed tools for Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, General Electric, Boeing Commercial Airplane Company, Grumman Aero-Space, G.T.E. Sylvania, American Tool & Machine Corp., as well as Simonds Saw & Steel Co., Kingsbury Machine Tool, Rodney Hunt and Simplex Time Recorder Company among many others ultimately attaining the position of manufacturing engineer.

Achieving US Army Rank of SPC E-5, John W. Linde, Jr. served a total of seven years between the US Army and the Army National Guard (of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire) with two terms in Vietnam and was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Combat Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and a Sharpshooter Badge as a Marksman (Rifle) in Field Artillery. He received Honorable discharges from the US Army Reserve and the Army National Guard of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Jack loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, hunting including archery, camping, and gardening.

Athletic in his youth, he rode his bicycle along the Mohawk Trail to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY and

competed in Fitchburg's Longsjo Classic bicycle races during the '60s and '70s. He competed in speed skating including barrel jumping and placed 3rd in the North American Championships in 1958. Other winter sports he was active in were downhill skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing. He loved jazz and playing the drums. He also cherished working on his boats and various sports cars over the years. He was most proud of his Harley Davidson motorcycle and will be buried in his Harley Davidson attire.

John was an avowed Lutheran. He cared deeply about his family and friends and had a love of life with a very strong will to live.

He leaves behind his sister Faith Womack, his nieces Christina Linde and Mya Gill and her husband Bryan Gill, and his great-nieces Nadia Lin, and Sayla and Maryna Gill.

He will be interned at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Winchendon on Monday, February 24 at 11 a.m. A photo memorial is viewable on the Veterans Legacy Memorial website:

https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/JOHNWLINDEJR/a8da1d

A church service will be held on Saturday, March 22 at 1 p.m. at the Our Savior Lutheran Church in Westminster. All are welcome to attend.

Donations can be made to the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center, 268 Central Street, Gardner, MA 01440.

Witty's Funeral Home, 158 South Main Street, Orange, is assisting the family.

Guest book online at WWW.WITTYFUNERALHOME.COM