Mr. Robert "Lippy" George Lindstrom

Robert "Lippy" Lindstrom

Robert “Lippy” Lindstrom passed away suddenly on Friday, July 04, 2014 at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital at the age of 60 years.

Robert is survived by his loving wife Audrey Toews who is grateful to have shared his life for 26 years, along with their children Deanne (Todd) & Craig (Sara) and for ten years shared our lives with two special needs foster children. Rob also leaves to mourn his cousin Verna Jagoe and nephew Jeff Lindstrom, his aunt Cynthia, numerous cousins in B.C., his birth mother Ruth, half siblings Harvey, Dana, Louise, Joanne and their families.

Robert was predeceased by his brother John Lindstrom (1997), sister-in-law Darlene Lindstrom (2008), nephew David Lindstrom (1986), his parents Edna (1975) and Ahlan Lindstrom (1984) and his grandparents Adrian and Jenny Lindstrom.

Rob’s intelligence, many interests, passion for life, curiosity and genuine care for others meant that he made friends wherever he went. It made for some awfully long waits for Rob to finish chatting but connecting with people was essential to him. He filled his days with love of family, friends, music, Kenora, the lake, sailing, science fiction, the internet and his constant thirst for knowledge making him a repository of information. Rob played guitar from the age of 12 with many groups, wrote and recorded a beautiful jazz album, and in 2007 switched to bass guitar to fill a spot with Big Boogaloo.

Robert was a man of many talents. Bobbie started working at his family’s business Lindstrom & Nilson at a very young age and fondly remembered the people from those days. After attending Berklee College of Music he was a starving musician, worked with computers in the 80’s, started a contracting business, fostered two children with disabilities and started an internet company. Rob loved life and clung to it through several life threatening challenges, especially after being hit by a drunk driver just as he and his partners opened up Voyageur Net, the area’s first internet provider in 1995. Rob’s determination to preserver through thick and thin saw him being liberated from his Winnipeg hospital bed by his good friends David and Greg who dressed him up in borrowed clothes and stuck him in a wheelchair to take Rob to an important meeting for the new internet company. Voyageur Net was followed by NetV which is still operating today. For the last 6 years Rob had been lucky enough to work at KACL with friends

There will be two events held on Friday, July 11, 2014 to provide an opportunity for Rob’s many friends to share in remembering his life. There will be a slightly more traditional service held at 1:00 p.m. in Kenora at Knox United Church at the corner of 5th Avenue South and Second Street South with coffee and light snack to follow immediately afterward. Later the same day we invite you to share in Rob’s last Friday night band practice out at Laclu Industries building starting at 5:00 p.m. and likely continuing until the wee hours on Saturday. This event will be an informal gathering. It is a potluck dinner and friends are encouraged to bring their instruments to celebrate Rob’s love of music. There will be maps and a limousine will be available for a ride home if you have a drink or two. Please do not drink and drive. I ask that people write down their stories of Rob, or share how they met or their impressions of him along with any photos you might have would be greatly appreciated by the family as we are putting together a memory book of him to help ease our loss. There will be a basket available to put them in at both Knox and at Laclu along with an e-mail address to send them to so there is no rush.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in order to establish the Robert “Lippy” Lindstrom Endowment Fund in support of the great passion in his life; music in Kenora. Send donations to the Kenora and LOW Reg. Community Foundation, Box 441, Kenora, Ontario P9N 3X4.

Online condolences may be made at www.brownfuneralhomekenora.com

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