William Frederick Lindgren

1942 - 2024

William (Bill) Frederick Lindgren (Jr), died August 24, 2024, at home in Tucson, Arizona, after a short illness. He was born December 23, 1942 in San Mateo, California, where his father worked briefly during World War II. Bill was the first child of William Frederick Lindgren, Sr, and Winona Grace Barnard Lindgren. His father died when he was 12. His mother was remarried to Stanley Brady. He is survived by his partner of 34 years, Clareann Bunker, son, Eric Adolph Lindgren (Megan), siblings James Lindgren (Delores), Mary Jean Lindgren Lunne, Kay Lindgren, John Brady (Keryl), Susan Brady Yamamoto (Brian), nieces, nephews, and also by his first wife, Patricia Lindgren. He was predeceased by his son, William Frederick Lindgren, III.

Bill grew up in Hot Springs, South Dakota, graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines, and earned his PhD in Mathematics at Southern Illinois University. He taught at Slippery Rock University, retiring in 2014 after 42 years. After Bill moved to Tucson in 2018 to be near family, he developed an abiding love for the place. He found tremendous peace and pleasure in creating his beautiful desert garden. He was an avid fan of University of Arizona women's basketball and softball.

Bill worked hard at teaching, and mathematical research, all his adult life, but also incorporated many adventures along the way, preferring at least three adventures a day. A lifelong avid bridge player, his early adventures were focused on traveling to play bridge. He developed his love of outdoor adventures during 15 years with Slippery Rock Boy Scouts, first serving as Scout Master of Troop 310, and later as a member of the Moraine Trails Council. He led numerous hiking and camping trips in Pennsylvania, and troop excursions to the Philmont Scout Ranch High Adventure Base in New Mexico.

Bill's life changing academic adventures were his two sabbaticals. He took his family to Blacksburg, Virginia in 1978-79 for a year of research with his colleague, Professor Peter Fletcher, at Virginia Tech. In 2000, Bill spent a term, plus several subsequent summers at Brown University with Professor Thomas Banchoff, a mathematician with a strong interest in the fourth and higher dimensions, and researcher into the life of Edwin Abbott Abbott. Bill and Tom co-authored Flatland by Edwin A Abbott: An Edition with Notes and Commentary (2010), and collaborated with his German colleague, Mirjam Rabe, on a German translation (2023). Bill was also interested in Abbott's influence as headmaster of the City of London School for 25 years beginning in 1865, and particularly on his influence as the teacher of the sixth form which focused on classical studies for students preparing for University. Until his death, Bill continued his research for a biography of Edwin A Abbott and a compilation of biographical data on Abbott's sixth form students. These data will be available in an online repository for use by future historians.

Over the past 35 years, Bill has meticulously planned numerous complex trips including transportation, lodging, iconic meals, museums, plays, concerts, dance performances, hikes, backpacking, often all in the same trip, as a particular gift to his friends old and new, young and old, who could just 'show up' with an open spirit for adventure and, preferably, wearing not-new boots. These adventures have included section hikes on the Appalachian Trail, and many backpacking trips in the mountains of the Western U.S., Canada, Europe and New Zealand. Annual March gatherings in Tucson have included the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music Festival, the Tucson Festival of Books, Santa Catalina Mountains, theatre, museums, birding and great food. A particular focus for Bill has been his annual mid-August trip with friends and family to enjoy extraordinary classical chamber music at the Marlboro Music Festival in Marlboro, Vermont.

In his memory, friends and family will strive to continue three adventures a day, incorporating new friends and family along the way.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill's name to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.