Tom Leo Lindholm was born in Faribault, MN, to his deaf parents, Toivo and Lucille Lindholm. In late 1943, the family moved to southern California. Tom’s brother, Allen T. Lindholm graduated from West Point with the Class of 1953. His nephew, Dean A. Lindholm, graduated with the Class of 1979.
Some of Tom’s high school achievements included: lettering in football, high school senate, treasurer of the California Scholarship Foundation, secretary of the Boy’s Progressive Club, high school debate team, model railroad club, and an appearance on the TV show "Who Knows This." Tom also won several awards for his paintings and drawings.
For fun when he was young, Tom loved to ride his bicycle to the ocean, go surfing, spend the night on the beach and then ride home. He loved animals and raised homing pigeons, dogs, and cats. He relished working on cars with the Fisher Body Craftsman Guild. Later in life, his notable cars included an MGA, a Porsche 356, and a Mercedes 450SL. Some of his lifelong passions were model railroading, classical music, opera, and reading. Tom remodeled 17 houses. He belonged to S.O.M.E., the Elks, and the Kiwanis club.
When he arrived at West Point in July 1953, Tom was thrilled that the new beds had inner-spring mattresses so that cadets no longer had to fold up the mattresses. Tom helped design the ’57 Class Crest while he was on the Class Crest and Class Ring Committee. He ushered at football games so that he could be in the press box to enjoy the sandwiches and the warmth. He revived the Model Railroad Club. He designed a new layout and repaired many of the club’s railroad cars. He also was a member of the fencing and wrestling teams. He sang in the chapel choir. One of his greatest joys was making large "BEAT NAVY" banners.
When he graduated, Tom went Armor. After Armor and Airborne Schools he joined the 11th ACR. During his Army career he held many notable positions including Deputy Inspector General in Vietnam, Protocol Officer for the Truman and Johnson funerals, and advisor to the FEMA project. He retired in 1977.
On one of his assignments in 1960, Tom met his future wife, Susan, on top of the Zugspitze in Germany. She was an ice skater in the Casa Carioca Armed Forces Recreation Center Show in Garmisch. Soon after came their marriage and their children: David, Robert, and Karin.
After twenty years of commendable service in the Army, Tom retired in Colorado. He went back to school to acquire his master’s degree in urban design. He acquired a Professional Engineers License and became a Civil Engineer. He worked for the city and county of Denver on such projects as the $52-million Beautification of Denver Project, renovation of the Denver Stock Show Complex, and Denver’s 16th Street Mall.
While working for the city and county, his engineering career and his research of Colorado Railroads were cut short when he was afflicted with multiple myeloma cancer resulting from exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. After a three–year battle, Tom passed away on Sep 18, 2000. Tom had been a spiritual person, active in the United Church of Religious Science. He organized the start of several satellite church groups. He carried a strong sense of Duty, Honor and Country throughout his life. He was well respected and very much loved.
— Loving Wife Susan
"Happiness is a warm puppy."
— Charles Schultz