Theodore Lindgren

1933 - 2022

LINDGREN, Theodore

Theodore Dean "Ted" Lindgren, age 89, of Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas passed away peacefully on May 16, 2022.

Ted was born in Forest City, Iowa to Gilmore and Hazel Lindgren on February 5, 1933 and grew up on the family farm in Lanyon, Iowa. He graduated from Iowa State University and joined the United States Army, where he was stationed for a time at Fort Belvoir, outside of Washington, D.C. There, at a dance for nearby Marjorie Webster Junior College, he met Henrietta Elisabeth ("Bet") Pannell of Montgomery, Alabama. They were married in Montgomery on June 17, 1960, after Bet had finished college at the University of Alabama and Ted had received his M.S. in electrical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, made possible by the GI Bill. They settled down on Channing Drive in Atlanta, had their first two children, Lisa and John, and Ted received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering while teaching at Georgia Tech.

In 1965, the family moved to Tampa, Florida, where Ted became the first professor of electrical engineering at the University of South Florida and helped establish that department. While in Tampa, daughter Anne was born, and Ted obtained his law degree from Stetson University (in 2 years). He then began his career as a patent attorney, first in private practice in Tampa, and then in-house with GTE. The family moved to upstate New York (Skaneateles) where GTE Sylvania was based; then to New Canaan, CT near GTE's then-headquarters; and then to Houston, Texas with GTE Mobilnet, where he prepared many fundamental patent applications on cellphones. Later, he joined Texas Instruments and helped establish their Houston patent law group.

Throughout his life, Ted made time to be present for others. He was a man of relatively few words, a big heart, and a knack for teaching others by example. He was a devoted husband, especially during Bet's valiant fight against ovarian cancer, enthusiastic trip planner, and loving and always-helpful dad to his children and their families, including in-laws Erik Eriksen (Lisa), Crickett Williams (John), and Jim Blitch (Anne) and others close to the family. He relished being "Gdad" to his six grandchildren and pretending he did not know how to count, so that each of them in turn could "teach" him.

In 2002, Ted suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that took his speech and right side mobility. But even with such a tragic change, Ted/Gdad never lost his uncanny instinct for helping others. With family, he kept up with everyone and continued to provide loving support and encouragement. At Sunrise Assisted Living Facility of Buckhead, he was known for his warm hand squeeze and simple acts of kindness, helping in whatever way he could.

Ted is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Bet, and brother Carl Lindgren. He is survived by his children and grandchildren Brinsley and Kenton Eriksen, Drax and Noelle Lindgren, and Betsy and J.D. Blitch, brothers Dick and Jon Lindgren, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will be held for the family on May 31 at 1:00 PM at Forest Park Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale, Houston, Texas, where Bet is buried. We invite all to join us virtually at https://www.facebook.com/ForestParkLawndale/ where you will see a link to join.

The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the loving and caring staff at Sunrise of Buckhead and to Sulaymon Njie, Ted's private caregiver for over 12 years. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Ted's memory can be made to the Georgia Tech Foundation, Inc., in recognition of the bright caregivers and other hard workers that Ted thought should pursue engineering. Donations can be mailed to 760 Spring Street NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30308, with the "Theodore D. Lindgren Memorial Fund" indicated on the memo line; or made online at https://mygeorgiatech.gatech.edu/giving/make-a-gift (click on the "Giving to a Special Purpose" link and enter "Theodore D. Lindgren Memorial" in the "Special Purpose" Box).