John LINDBLAD

LINDBLAD, John Douglass
John Douglass Lindblad, born Edmonton, April 13, 1930, son of American born and Canadian Army WWI overseas telegrapher and later CPR Chief Telegrapher/ Edmonton, John R.G. Lindblad and Christina Belle Ledgerwood, born in NWT before Provincehood and daughter of 1880s pioneers.
Education: Woods Christian Home, Haultain and Western Canada High, Calgary; U.S. Naval Aviation Schools; study, University of Alaska, Arts diploma, Long Beach City College, Ca.
Military: Royal Canadian Sea Cadets, Undaunted 1 and 11, Calgary; Combat Aircrew man, AV3 USN, VF 23 Air Group 2, USS Coral Sea, US Sixth Fleet, European Occupation, Greek Civil War, European Occupation Medal; Unit Commendation, Berlin Airlift; 1950-52, with USN Petroleum Reserve No 4, Point Barrow Alaska; Lieutenant, Essex Scottish Regiment, Windsor, ON.
Followed father and grandfather into Masonry; 60 year member, first and most northerly North American Masonic Lodge, Tanana 162 prior to Statehood/No 3, F and AM, Fairbanks, Grand Lodge of Alaska.
Journalism: The Edmonton Journal, 1955; The Windsor Star, 1956-70; reported Canadian and American elections, 10 year feature columnist; covered Nassau Summit of Prime Ministers John Diefenbaker, Sir Harold Macmillan and President John F. Kennedy; Special Witness, Ontario Royal Commissions on Organized Crime for revelations on penetration of Canada by the Mafia and known U.S. and Italian mobsters hiding out in Canada. Frequent book reviewer; founding president, Windsor Press Club; Viet-nam War correspondent, 1966; contributing correspondent, Toronto Star, Toronto Telegram, CBC Radio, The Detroit Free Press; Detroit PBS TV; returned to The Journal, 1970-73, legislative and investigative reporter; director, National Press Club, Ottawa, 1975. Author of three published novels, the most recent, "Tomorry' Land", 2010, a novelized history of Alberta and the West. And though he'd begun writing with typewriters was among first Canadian authors to go direct to readers on the Internet with Amazon and Kobo E-Book and paper editions. Told a reviewer the 15 years spent researching-writing the great Alberta bound saga, was his "life's greatest adventure and more exciting than all world travels and covering major news events in war and peace, even tea in Buckingham Palace." "Tomorry' Land" royalties are dedicated to help Aboriginal storytellers and to "Put something back for being born free in the greatest place in world, Canada, Alberta with dual honoured rights to the U.S.A"
Government: Founding Director, Ottawa Office, Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs, 1973-78, awarded Queen Elizabeth II 25th Anniversary Medal; Director, Northern Affairs, Intergovernmental Affairs, 1978-79; Director, UK/Europe, London, 1980-83 and Director, Special Projects, Travel Alberta, 1983-87 until forced retirement by heart attack and surgery.
Survived by four children: daughter Joan-Marie (Lorne) Sugrue, and grandchildren, Vars, ON, Robert, Mark (Monique) and granddaughter Bonnie, and Michael and grandson, John Stephen Paul, all of the Edmonton area. His wife of 35 years Judy Tait, RN, pre-deceased him in 1993 and his beloved first son, John Stephen, 2002. Loving companion, Rose Marie Eansor, of Tecumseth, ON, also survives him.
A Funeral Service for John will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at St. Albert Funeral Home, 9 Muir Drive, St. Albert. Memorial donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta-NWT-Nunavut, 10985 - 124 Street, Edmonton, AB, T5M 0H9, or to The Salvation Army, 9618-101A Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5H 0C7.
To send condolences, please visit:
www.connelly-mckinley.com
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