Olga Pohl Lindes

Ocean PinesOlga Pohl Lindes, age 93, died Friday April 24, 2015 at Coastal Hospice at the Lake. Born in Odessa Russia, she was the daughter of the late Alexei and Helen Pohl. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Harold Lindes. Surviving are her children, Hal Lindes guitarist for "Dire Straits" and his wife Ricarda of Los Angeles, CA, and Nina Willett, 8th grade school teacher at SDMS, and her husband Dave of Berlin. She was an adored grandmother to Kristina Belcher and her husband Kevin, John Kevin Willett and his wife Molly, Michael David Willett, Alexei Lindes, Staz Lindes, Misha Lindes and Evangeline Lindes. There are two great-grandchildren Gavin John Belcher and Lindsey Anne Belcher.At age 20, while studying medicine at the prestigious Odessa University, Olga was captured by the German Army during the siege of Odessa and taken to a labor camp in Hamburg. Her family perished in the siege. Employing her knowledge and skill in medicine, she was able to survive the labor camp and through the kindness and protection of a German couple who had befriended her, was able to avoid being sent on the "death train" back to Russia. At the end of World War II, Olga met Harold Lindes and the couple wed in August 1948. In 1951 they boarded a boat headed for Ellis Island, NY, where she worked as a seamstress for a designer fashion house, and taught herself English. In 1966 Olga obtained a Master's Degree in Russian Language at Georgetown University and began her career as a Russian Professor teaching at the University of Maryland and later at American University. She also engaged in translation work for the State Department. In 2005 she and her husband moved to Ocean Pines to be near their daughter Nina and the grandchildren.Cremation followed her death. No formal services are planned at this time. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com