Ernest V. Lindell

| August 20, 2010 1:00 PM

Ernest V. Lindell of Moses Lake passed away August 16, 2010 at age 89. He was born May 8, 1921 in Drake, North Dakota to Ernest O. Lindell and Vivian L. (Peterson) Lindell, the oldest of three children.

The family moved to Longview, WA when he was very young and he attended schools in Vancouver and Longview. He attended college in Bellingham until the United States entered WWII.

Ernie served in the Army Air Corps from 1941-1945. He was a navigator on a B-17 in England until his plane was shot down over northern France on January 14, 1944. He was the only one of his crew not captured by the Germans and he escaped via the French Resistance (French Underground) through occupied France, walking over the Pyrenees Mountains and into neutral Spain, arriving on May 8th, his 23rd birthday, then back to England on June 8th, 1944.

After the war, he returned to and completed college and Dental School at University of Oregon Dental School (now OHSU) in 1951. On September 9, 1950, during his last year of school, he and Constance Arlene Nelson from Rathdrum, ID were married. Upon graduation he went on active duty with the United States Air Force for two years during the Korean Conflict.

Upon discharge, he and his family settled in Moses Lake where he practiced Dentistry for more than 36 years.

Ernie was a member of and held offices in the Washington State Dental Association and the North Central Washington Dental Association. While in the state office, he was influential in establishing the Dental Hygiene programs in the Community Colleges of Washington. After retirement, he volunteered his services as the dental provider on a team to screen and treat the underserved populations in this area of the state.

Ernie served on the Board of Directors at Samaritan Hospital, Moses Lake Planning Commission, and Moses Lake City Council. He was also involved with Boy Scout Troop 69, a member of Moses Lake Golf and Country Club, and the Lions Club.

He loved duck and pheasant hunting, fishing, and sailing his boat on Lake Pend Oreille.

Ernie was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Verna Dickie of Grandview. He is survived by his wife Connie Arlene and four children: Connie Marie Lindell (Bob Arnold) of Moses Lake, Kathy Lindell of DuPont, WA., Brian Lindell (Susan) of Naperville, IL, and Bruce Lindell of Grandview, WA., his four granddaughters: Nicole, Kirsten, Lauren and Saige. He is also survived by one sister Burdette Simpson of Vancouver, WA, a sister in law, Virginia Penman of Post Falls ID. and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at Kayser's Chapel of Memories.

In lieu of flowers the family would like you to consider a contribution in memory of Ernest V Lindell DMD to either Shriners Hospital, 911 W 5th Ave, Spokane, WA 99204 (1-800-241-GIFT) or Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, PO Box 1992 Savannah, GA (912-748-8888) www.mightyeighth.org