Ulf Uno Lundell

Lundell, Ulf Uno
Ulf Lundell, early pioneer in the high-rise construction industry and longtime Westport resident, died at his home in East Norwalk on November 15 surrounded by his family. He was 72.
Born in Sweden, Ulf was a man that had a vision to work hard and enjoy life. He moved to the US and lived out his vision of the quintessential American Dream.
When Ulf was 10 years old, he lost his father due to a tragic accident, working for Linden Cranes. Forced to help support his mother and brother, Ulf sold tulips door to door in Vasteras. They poignantly remained his favorite flower throughout his life. Linden Cranes also gave him work, first as a little boy sweeping the stock room floor and then later hiring him as a full-time employee.
In 1965 Ulf was hired by Linden Cranes to work in the US repairing cranes. He arrived in New York City at 22 years old and crisscrossed the USA repairing cranes. He worked on a multitude of high-rise construction projects in nearly every city in the USA.
At this time he was introduced to Sonja Qvarnstrom, a Swedish girl who grew up in Buenos Aires. Sonja lived in New York and worked for Pan Am as a stewardess. In 1967 they were married at the Swedish Church in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
His responsibilities at Linden Alimak grew and shifted to Sales. In his new role, he successfully negotiated important deals with a great number of the biggest high-rise construction companies around the world. The Statue of Liberty, NASA's Cape Canaveral, the CN Tower in Toronto, which was the tallest free standing structure of the time, the Washington Monument, the Panama Canal and the Sears Tower were a few of the notable jobs that Ulf worked on. Ulf became the president of Alimak Inc in 1985 until his retirement in 2000.
In his retirement, Ulf and Sonja bought an apartment in his hometown overlooking the beautiful Lake Malaren in Sweden, where they divided their time between the US and Sweden.
Over the years, instead of flying between the US and Sweden, Ulf and Sonja frequently took Trans-Atlantic cruises. In the last 6 months of Ulf's life, he and Sonja enjoyed a month long cruise that looped the Mediterranean three times. Afterwards they took the family and grandchildren to Bermuda. In September Ulf took his son to Alaska for a 3 week cruise and train rail journey. He then went to the Caribbean on another cruise in October with his wife, sister, brother in-law and sister in-law.
Ulf was a family man, who was generous with his time and someone that was able to talk to anyone. His children, Christina, Thomas and Veronica and their close knit group of friends can tell endless stories of great times spent with Ulf and Sonja at their house on Bayberry Lane or out on their boat at Cockonoe Island where they welcomed their children's friends with open arms as an extended family.
Ulf was a man who made time to do the things he loved with the people he loved. He lived an extremely full life and worked hard to enjoy every minute of it. He will be sorely missed.
In addition to Sonja, his wife of 50 years, and his children, Christina Lundell-Baker, Thomas Lundell and Veronica Lundell-Hofstetter, he is survived by 6 grandchildren in Connecticut. Also surviving are: his brother and sister, Leif Lundell and Ankie Barklund, both of Vasteras, Sweden and his wife's family in Sweden, Italy and Argentina.
A memorial service will be held Monday, November, 28th at 2:30 p.m. at The Inn at Longshore, 260 Compo Road South, Westport, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Whittingham Cancer Center, care of the Norwalk Hospital Foundation at www.norwalkhospital.org/foundation or the American Cancer Society.