Thomas Donald Lindquist
Date of Birth: May 7, 1932
Place: Denver, Colorado; Denver General Hospital
Died: December 7, 2019
Where: Namaste memory care unit, Colorado Springs, Colorado
As reported by his wife; Blanche Marie Markham Lindquist
He was athletic as a young boy, playing basketball, working out on a high-bar that had been built in the family backyard, by his father, for all three boys to use.
He also learned to play football and was very good at being a tackle. At the end of the 1949 season, Tom and his team from East high school played against the Grand Junction high school in the state semi-final. The game was played in Grand Junction at the stadium. Tom was able to get through the Grand Junction linemen and block both of the two kicks that Gene Taylor tried to make on that day. Because of Tom’s efforts, the game ended with a 14-0 score, East had won.
After high school, Tom became very good at the game of Golf, while he lived in Montrose.
Tom’s interest in law enforcement may have started with listening to his father and uncle. Uncle Oscar was Tom’s fathers brother. Tom’s father had taken courses on law, and Uncle Oscar was a officer with the Denver Police department. Tom joined the Colorado State Patrol in June of 1955. That was the beginning of a part of his life where he could keep our highways safe and help the people of our state in so many other ways.
The first place Tom was assigned was in Gunnison, Colorado. While serving there, he joined the Masons in 1957. His second degree was conferred on him by a very good friend of his fathers; a gentleman by the name of Morris Rifkin, in Crested Butte, Colorado. In 1966 he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to the Academy in Golden, Colorado where he was a training officer for new recruits. His family moved to Aurora, Colorado, where his two children attended Aurora schools. In 1971 he attended Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. His studies included the long course in the Traffic Institute, for 9 months. Tom worked very hard at his studies, and graduated number 8 in a class of 85. Tom’s son Wilson attended Mesa College during Tom’s training in Chicago. In 1972 the family returned to Aurora, Colorado where he was promoted to Lieutenant, and assigned to the State Patrol headquarters. In 1982 he was promoted to Captain and given command of District 1 In eastern Colorado, where he excelled in leadership of multiple officers and thousands of miles of the Colorado plain’s highways. In 1984 he was assigned to the Governor’s task for working with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Since he had joined the Patrol at the minimum age of 23, and he worked a full 30 years, he was eligible to retire at 53, with full retirement and benefits. He chose to retire in May of 1985. He was meritoriously promoted to Major after his retirement.
Tom was married to Blanche Marie Markham Lindquist his “first wife” for 68 years. They had two children:
Son: Wilson Thomas Lindquist of Northglenn, Colorado. Daughter: Barbara Marie Lindquist Nohava, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Other family members include:
Daughter in law: Susie Rinckle Lindquist
Son in law: Michael Nohava
Grand children: Leticia, Brianna, Kimberly, Daniel and Matthew.
Also included in Tom’s family tree in 13 great-grandchildren.
Tom is survived by and older brother, John Lindquist of San Luis Obispo, California.
Tom’s ashes will be interned at Fairmont Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.