Leonard Carl Lindblom

Leonard C. Lindblom, 99, of Fort Wayne, IN, passed away Wednesday, January 28, 2015, at Sage Bluff Nursing Home in Fort Wayne. Born on November 2, 1915, in Superior, Wisconsin, he was the son of Carl and Ida Lindblom. He later moved with his parents to Chicago, IL, where he graduated, in 1934, from Albert G. Lane Technical High School. In 1938, he graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in Civil Engineering, where he was a member of Theta Tau, Kappa Chapter. He and Ruth E. (Wollwage) Lindblom, who preceded him in death, in November, 2009, were married on March 30, 1940. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Lindblom lived in Knoxville, TN, where he worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority. The couple then moved back to Chicago, IL, where Mr. Lindblom worked as an Engineer at Sargent & Lundy, and subsequently as an Engineer for Armor & Company. In 1944, Mr. Lindblom began a long and illustrious career in the Automotive Rubber Manufacturing industry, when he joined BF Goodrich and Company, in Akron, OH, as a Manufacturing Engineer. He and Mrs. Lindblom then moved to Fort Wayne, IN, in 1950, where he became a Sales Engineer for U.S. Rubber Company. In 1956, Mr. Lindblom, along with three other principals, started their own, custom-molded rubber operation, Kitco Engineering and Manufacturing, in Bluffton, IN. After 1962, when Kitco was acquired by Eaton Corporation, Mr. Lindblom served as General Manager of Kitco. Then, in 1977, Kitco was divested from Eaton Corporation, and Mr. Lindblom became the principal owner of Kitco. In 1985, Mr. Lindblom, along with his family, began Avilla Rubber, a Division of Kitco, Inc., in Avilla, IN. In 1990, Mr. Lindblom and his family started a new company, Lintec, Inc., at the Industrial Park in Avilla. Later that year, Mr. Lindblom became the sole owner of Kitco. Then, in 1996, Mr. Lindblom and his family formed a joint venture, now known as Victor Reinz Valve Seals, LLC, with Dana Corporation. Mr. Lindblom sold Kitco and the Lintec Division at Avilla in June of 2000, at which time he and his family formed Linco, a company in charge of manufacturing and financials for Victor Reinz Valve Seals, with its offices in Avilla. Mr. Lindblom was a Licensed Professional Engineer, a member of SAE (Society of Automobile Engineers), a member of the Ft. Wayne Rubber Group, and a member of the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials.) He was also a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, a Life Member of the Elks, and a member of Ft. Wayne Orchard Ridge Country Club. In his later years, Mr. Lindblom enjoyed spending time with his wife and family, and spent many happy days with them at the cottage he and Mrs. Lindblom owned on Snow Lake. Mr. Lindblom was a kind and gentle man, beloved by his family; but he was also beloved and respected by his many employees throughout the years, who regarded him not only as an excellent businessman, but also as a man of high character, and as a friend, fair and honest, who never had an unkind word to say about anyone. Surviving are one daughter, Barbara (William) J. Rayburn, Bainbridge Island, WA., two sons, Arthur (Judy) C. Lindblom, Roanoke, IN., and Clifford (Rose) E. Lindblom, Ossian, IN, five grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 1:30 PM at Bethany Lutheran Church, 2435 Engle Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46809 with visitation 1 hour prior. Burial will be at Greenlawn Memorial Park. Preferred memorials may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church.