In Loving Memory Of
Don Charles Lindholm
Born
May 17, 1919
Iona, Idaho
~
Entered Into Rest
July 3, 1997
Santa Rosa, California
Craig
Lindholm’s remarks at his father's funeral;
We
are here to give reflections of and pay tribute to Don Charles Lindholm. Our
mothers loving husband and our father and many peoples friend.
History
· Born May 17, 1919 in Iona Idaho.
· One of nine children of Alma Eric Lindholm and Agnes
Smith Lindholm.
 |
Lindholm Family Photo
(back row) Edna Mae, Elmer, Franklin, Vella, Ross
(Front row) Alma Eric, Don Charles, Agnes, Joan
|
 |
| Don and Joan 1920 |
· Married Doretha Ricks on June 14, 1939.
 |
| Doretha Ricks - 1938 |
· Father of six children; Judy Claire, Sherry Ann, Susan
Kay, Don Craig, Emery Jay and Sidney Ricks.
 |
| Susan, Sherry, Judy, Emery, Sidney, Craig about 1957 |
· Twenty one grand children and 6 great grandchildren.
Teacher/Learning
Don
was a self made man and had many accomplishments.
He
started his career from the ground floor in his occupations.
· His earliest career was as a helper on his father’s
farm.
o
He learned all
the duties required in the ages of farming with horses.
o
He learned and
respected the value of strong family, animals and started his strong work
ethic.
He
later went to work as an Iron worker where he learned more new trades.
· He strengthened his work ethic and learned that if he
were to fall, someone was always there to catch him and protect him, Christ,
wife, family and friends.
· He planted trees that served as both a wind break and
a bird habitat.
· He studied on his own to pass the tests that were
required to be a full time employee of the Idaho Fish and Game.
· He was promoted to Refuge Manager of Farragut Wild
Life Refuge in Northern Idaho.
· He again learned everything he could to properly
manage the wildlife and environment that he was entrusted to protect.
· He strengthened even more, his work ethic and
instilled in his children the importance of work and doing the job right the
first time.
Following
the Idaho Fish and Game, Don went into business for himself and kept his strong
respect for animals by processing grain and hay for feed, keeping his strong
tie to agriculture and farming.
· He learned everything that needed to be learned to
operate that business.
· He instilled his strong work ethic even deeper with
his children. We all participated in the work that needed to be done.
He
got more involved with animals that he cared so much about he started his own
sheep heard, which later led to being the manager of a sheep heard of over 2500
head.
After
recovering from serious health problems he returned to a job that brought him
back to the nature he so dearly loved.
· Dad and Mom, together, worked for the U.S. Forest
Service as camp ground hosts in the Northern Idaho National Forest.
· He learned his job and more, he was well respected by
all the guests and his supervisors and received many certificates of
accommodation.
Don
learned many hobbies and became through self study an expert on each; weaving,
hem stitching, tatting, engraving, raising exotic wild birds. He did his
absolute best on each of his hobbies.
All
through his career he had the devoted love, support and encouragement for his
beloved wife Doretha.
Legacy
Don
left for many to enjoy and remember a lasting legacy for generations to
appreciate.
· He loved animals so much and felt the trapping and
relocation of the deer was not humane as it was done when he started.
o
He invented a new
trapping devise that allowed the humane trapping and transportation of wildlife
that is still being used today.
· Mountain goats that were not native to the Pend O’
Releie Lake Area Mountains were trapped and relocated to the area by Don.
Presently the heard that he started is flourishing and being enjoyed by
naturalist and sportsman alike.
· The trees that he planted in Southeastern Idaho have
matured and have become habitats for wildlife and an integral part of the
agriculture industry.
· He recommended that Farragut Wildlife Refuge become a
state park, Farragut is today and has hosted many events including the World
Boy Scout Jamboree.
Nature
Dad
loved nature.
· He instilled his love for nature into all of us.
· He made us all observant by checking to see if we had
seen the wildlife.
· While on family trips or just for a drive, he made a
game of who could spot and count the deer first.
· He could identify every tree and shrub.
· He rescued fawn deer and baby mountain goats that
there mothers had died. We all shared in the bottle feed, raising and the
eventual return to their natural habitat.
· He was the first to bring home a bouquet of wild
flowers and Pussy Willows in the spring for all of us to enjoy.
· Every place he lived, he made a mini wildlife
sanctuary that attracted native birds and wildlife.
Caring
Dad
made all his events special for his entire family.
· He was the first one up on Christmas day.
· Our family vacations with six children and two adults
crammed into a station wagon were made into a fun and memorable experience.
 |
| Don Doretha 1954, Sherry, Emery, Susan, Sid, Craig, Judy |
o
We will never
forget his saying “Who’s ready for the bridge?” and to this day none of us will
eat Liverwurst and Cheese Ritz crackers.
· When any of his family hurt, he hurt probably more,
his saying of “May the togetherness of your marriage be so strong-that when one
weeps the other one will taste the salt”... He tasted the salt.
· He always brought out his harmonica to serenade us at
family gatherings.
· He stressed the importance of a strong family unit;
“your family is always there for you.”
 |
| Don Doretha 1971, Sidney, Emery, Susan and Brett, Judy and Zack, Sherry, Don, Suzie Farmer, Doretha |
· He cherished the one on ones with us and always
stressed how proud he was of us.
· He always had a story and never lost his sense of
humor, even when he was in pain.
· He was always appreciative of any visit he received or
any gift that was presented to him. He did not expect anything and appreciated
everything.
· He suffered much pain but remained strong and an
inspiration to all.
Don
gave us a long life and we are all grateful,
he came close to death on several
occasions;
· In one of his early cowboy days in May. Judy was a
baby and mom was pregnant with Sherry. Dad had to catch some horses that had escaped
in the night. He saddled up his horse to go retrieve the animals. There was a
small island in the middle of the river where he thought the horses may have
swum to. This was early spring when the river was very full with the spring
snow melt and the river current was strong. May in the high elevations was also
very cold and he was dressed in heavy clothing. The water was deeper and
swifter than he had thought and he departed company from his horse, he tried to
grab the horse’s tail but was not successful and was swept away with the rivers
current. Mother had a feeling that something was wrong and went to the river.
Miraculously, he was able to swim with the heavy clothing on and made it to
shore where mom helped pull him to safety.
· Dad had several open heart surgeries. There were
several times during the procedure that his heart stopped.
o
He told us a
story of seeing all his relatives that had passed away. He wanted to talk to
them but they all ignored him. It was not his time.
Sid
Lindholm's closing remarks;
Dad
was a story teller and always had a new story to tell.
Dad
was a real cowboy; we were always raised around horses and livestock. I was
always referred to as the cowboy of the family, when I was six years old.
Many
of dad’s slogans have stayed with me for my lifetime; never give up on your
goals, be persistent and consistent, get back in the saddle again and go for
it.
Geronimo story
As the cowboy of the family, a particular memory and
life lesson sticks in my mind when I think of Dad.
On my sixth birthday, I was asked by Dad to get
dressed in my cowboy gear and he & I were going to go for a ride.
I put on my fringed chaps, vest, boots and red cowboy
hat & went outside to find Dad holding the reins of a tan & white
painted Shetland pony all saddled up and ready to ride. I was so excited and proud. Dad helped me mount my new steed and then
said, “Here you go, Happy Birthday!”
I was grinning from ear to ear when the pony took
two steps, reared and bucked me off. I
fell flat on my back and started crying.
Not so much from aches & pains but from hurt pride, embarrassment
and being a bit scared of the pony. Dad
looked down at me and said “Sid, stop your blubbering, get up, get back in the
saddle, pull back on the reins and show the horse who is boss. If you don’t, you’ll never ride again and he
will have gotten the best of you”.
Still blubbering, I sucked it up, got back in the
saddle, pulled back on the reins, said “Getty Up”, and me and Geronimo were
best buddies the rest of our lives together.
Paragon Falcon Analogy
One
of dad’s unusual pets that we remember the most was the Paragon Falcon. He
found a wounded Falcon and cared for and nurtured it back to health. He trained
it and it would leave his arm and soar in the clouds and he would whistle and
it would return. Then, on this
particular day, the falcon left his arm to soar. It made a couple of circles,
when he whistled to call her back; another falcon flew into sight and would not
let her return. Dad whistled again and again. The other falcon would not let
her go back to her home for she was destined to be free. Dad always new that
this day would come for the falcon as he knew this day would come for him to
leave his earthly domain and soar with the falcons and be free. Finally, free
and at peace with himself and God.
Dad
was empty when the falcon left him as we are empty that he has left us. Let us
remember our dad as the falcon soaring in the sky to the Kingdom of God.
This is wonderful. Thank you for sharing this.
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