Louis Carl Lundstrom

Louis Carl Lundstrom, of Sun City, Arizona, passed away August 6, 2015, at the age of 100 years old, after a long and fulfilling life. He was born in Tekamah, Nebraska, June 7, 1915. As a boy, Lou enjoyed making models. During a contest with the boys of their little home town, one of his model airplanes earned him his first flight on an airplane, on a 5 seater plane that was touring the countryside giving short flights to residents of the town. Another of his models that took him four years to build, was an exact replica of the Fisher Body coach, which won him prize money he used to attend college. During high school he enjoyed participating in band, football, basketball and track.

Lou graduated from Tekamah High School, then attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska. To help pay for his college expenses Louis worked as a student assistant in the engineering drawing class. He was active in several student activities of the College of Engineering and was elected to Sigma Tau, an engineering honorary society and to Sigma Zi, an honorary society of mathematics. Louis was also a member of the Palladian Literary Society ( a social group, not literary). It was there that he met Velma Ekwall, his future wife. Lou received both a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nebraska.

After college Lou moved to Milford, Michigan in June 1939, where he went to work for General Motors Corporation at the GM Proving Grounds. In May 1940, he married his college sweetheart, Velma Ekwall, and they continued to live in the Milford area for 40 years. Lou, Velma and his family were active members of the Milford Presbyterian Church, and other community organizations.

Lou worked at the Proving Grounds during WWII supporting the war effort with the design and testing of tank transmissions. During the early years Lou worked as a test engineer at the grounds. In 1954 he was promoted to Director of the Proving Grounds at Milford, the Desert Proving Grounds in Mesa, AZ, the high altitude labs at Pikes Peak Colorado, and the Emissions Control Lab in Van Nuys California. During these years, he developed an intense interest in vehicle and highway safety. He and his staff developed the first vehicle crash facility in the world, and were instrumental in developing the seat belts and air bags we use every day.

On behalf of General Motors, he advised highway engineers across the country in standards important to the development of the Interstate Highway System, and developed highway safety models that included safer roadside construction, shaped concrete guardrails, and safer light and sign poles. In 1965 he was transferred to the GM Technical Center in Warren MI and was made Director of Automotive Safety. This department included the development of automobile restraint systems, including the first production automobile air bags and child safety seats. This department then evolved to include not only safety testing and development, but also environmental emission testing. Lou was named Executive Director of this new Environmental Activities Staff.

In 1962, Lou received an Honorary Degree Doctor of Engineering from the University of Nebraska. Louis served on several committees of the Society of Automotive Engineers and was elected to the Fellow grade of membership. He was a member of the US Highway Research Board, the American Association of State Highway Officials road test committee, a member of several committees of the Automotive Manufacturers Association and the National Motor Vehicle Safety Advisory Council. In 1977 he was elected to lifetime membership in the National Academy of Engineering.

After retirement from General Motors in 1979, Lou and Velma moved to the mountains of Colorado near Denver. Lou and Velma also maintained winter residence in Sun City West, Arizona. After Velma passed away in 1994, Lou married Phyllis Erickson, in 1995, and they lived in Sun City, Arizona for another 20 years.

Lou is survived by his loving wife Phyllis, his four children Steve Lundstrom, Sue Bunch, Linda Lundstrom, and Carl Lundstrom; his two step children Steve and Tom Erickson and their families; and his 7 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Lou was predeceased by his sister Frances Peterson and his brother Justin Lundstrom.

Lou’s family invites the community to celebrate his life at a memorial service at Milford Presbyterian Church, 238 N Main St, Milford, MI 48381 on September 5th 2015, at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to the Milford Presbyterian Church.