January 4, 1926 – December 30, 2020
Resident of Saratoga
Clinton Oliver Lindseth, husband and father of five, passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on December 30th 2020, 5 days before his 95th birthday. He was larger than life to his family who love and admire him. He was generous of spirit, with huge smile for everyone and a boisterous laugh. He was always friendly, a gatherer of people for games of all sorts from board games to bocce or croquet.
Clinton was an inventor, engineer, pilot and WWII Veteran. He was born in Silva, North Dakota to Norwegian Immigrant parents who owned a large cattle ranch/farm. He graduated from a high school which was held in a one room schoolhouse at age 16. He left for college and while on a break, learned to fly a small plane from his older brother who was home on leave from the Airforce. At seventeen, he took leave from college to enlist in the Navy and help fight for his country in WWII. He was a radio engineer stationed aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific and saw the celebration of the end of WWII in Okinawa Bay.
After the war ended, he attended George Washington University, obtaining a BS in Electronics Engineering. While working in Washington DC post-graduation, he met and married his forever wife, Lois Lindseth, a daughter of Swedish Immigrants who was also working in Washington DC. They left for California a year later with their firstborn child. Clint became Vice President of RS Electronics soon after joining the company. After fifteen years and a number of patents, Clint left the company to begin a greater challenge at Lockheed Missles and Space Company, where he finished his engineering career twenty years and numerous rocket launches later. He attended Santa Clara University during that time, obtaining an MBA in the 1980s. During the same time period, he secured his pilot’s license and founded a flying club with three Cessnas; a two, a four and six place planes. He and the family took trips in California, Oregon, and across the country to visit relatives. And he and his buddies flew to Baja for fishing trips. There were camping trips to the Plumas National Forest as well, and winter ski trips to Incline Village in Northshore, Tahoe which were the highlights of the family life.
Clint and Lois traveled to every continent except Antarctica, and brought back wonderful memories and beautiful photos from Kenya, Egypt, China, Israel, Europe, including Sweden, Norway and Iceland.
He and Lois served for many decades at Immanuel Lutheran Church in both Los Altos and Saratoga, he on the Church Council, and as usher and sound technician, and she in the choir. Clint also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at the First State Bank of Harvey for many years.
He will be remembered by many for his generous heart, huge smile, and strong hugs, and his absence will be felt keenly by his wife Lois, four children and their spouses ; Kristin Lindseth Rivera and George Rivera, Dale Lindseth and Donna Owens Lindseth, Todd and Terri Lindseth and Leif Lindseth and Karen Strobeck Lindseth, and the seven grandchildren, Karinna, Marisa, Rachael, Ryan Alan, Justin and Soren, who survive him. One child, Mark preceeded him in death.
A Celebration of Life will be held in the Spring of 2021.
Darling Fisher Chapel of the Hills