Bruno Josef Lindenblatt

March 1940 September 2021

Bruno Josef Lindenblatt, 81, of Prince George BC, passed away peacefully on 25 September 2021 at the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, from complications of pneumonia. An uncannily robust and healthy person throughout his life, he could be heard

insisting to the resident doctors even a few days before his passing that he was “never sick” and felt “just fine” and was ready to go home.

Born to Berta (nee Hasselberg) and Karl Lindenblatt on 8 March 1940 in Plausen,

East Prussia, Bruno was predeceased by both parents and sister Irmgard Lindenblatt. He is survived by brothers Hugo Lindenblatt and Ewald Lindenblatt, sister Anni van Haren, daughter Michelle Lindenblatt, and grandchildren Beatrix,

Ignatius, Anselm, and Bertrand.

As a young child, Bruno experienced the hardships of war firsthand. He and his family often struggled to find adequate food and shelter, and were frequently displaced before settling in rural Germany. It was during these early years where Bruno’s sense of fortitude, determination, generosity, and empathy developed and continued to be a moral compass for him for the rest of his life.

Bruno emigrated to Canada in 1959 and spent several years in Faust and Edmonton, where he married Ursula

Lindenblatt in 1966, eventually making his way through Terrace where he worked

as a mechanic, Prince Rupert where he worked in a fish plant, Quesnel, where daughter Michelle was born in 1975, and then Prince George. He had a strong work ethic, loved to joke and have fun, ztand when fights erupted after a few drinks, he was known to have always fought fair. He

gained more financial security for himself as the years went on and Bruno took great pleasure in sharing this wealth. He loved to travel and embarked on more than one world tour, often welcoming family and friends on all-expenses paid vacations, and was in his element when out for lunch and dinner, laughing and telling stories, often

with a glass of wine in hand.

Bruno had an illustrious career in the sawmill industry which spanned over forty years. In 1972, Linden Fabricating and Engineering began in Quesnel and quickly expanded into another shop in Prince George. After building the first

automated lumber sorter and stacker for West Fraser in 1975, Bruno’s company built new sawmills for West Fraser in Smithers, Fraser Lake, Chetwynd, and Williams Lake. Several major equipment installation projects were also carried out at Babine Forest Products in Burns Lake and Houston Forest Products in Houston BC, and throughout the 1980’s, 90’s, and 2000’s, Linden had a hand in the development of countless sawmills throughout the region. Linden acquired the license for step feeders and log ladders which continue to be installed in sawmills across Canada, the US, Japan, and beyond. Indeed, there are few locations

in the sawmill industry where Bruno’s fingerprints cannot be found.

In the mid 1980s, Linden housed the then nascent Woodpro Engineering and the Swedish sawmill company ARI. Through Linden, Bruno continued to give many a

leg-up when they were just starting out in their respective businesses, offering

both financial and networking support. It was Bruno who gave loans and rarely asked to be reimbursed, who helped fund university degrees, who helped people buy their first homes. He was a great philanthropist and donated generously to BC Cancer research, the University Hospital of Northern BC, and the SPCA.

Later in life, one of Bruno’s favorite pastimes was spending time with his dogs, throwing the ball at the local soccer field or walking at the dog beach in Vancouver. His dogs were not only an important part of the family but offered respite through their non-judgmental ear and uncompromising love. We ask that in lieu of flowers, people donate to their local

SPCA.

Bruno always maintained that Friday the 13th was his lucky day as this was the day he received his welding ticket.