City Of Milton: City Mourns Loss Of Longtime Volunteer, Environmental Champion Jack Lindon

Press release from the City of Milton:

02/09/2022 3:37 PM

Jack Lindon spent his life making a difference. We are incredibly fortunate that he did so in Milton, his adopted hometown. In particular, Lindon worked countless hours so that our city – and our planet – would be greener, cleaner, and better. The City of Milton now mourns his passing while remembering the extraordinary impact he made.
 
“There was no limit to Jack’s passion to improve our world, his intelligence and ability to apply that on projects big and small, and his willingness to step up for our community,” said Teresa Stickels, who volunteered for many years alongside Lindon before becoming the City of Milton’s Conservation Project Manager. “He made Milton even more special, and we’ll miss him greatly.”
 
Lindon came to (what would become) the Milton area in the mid-1990s, by which time he’d already had a distinguished career in academia and business. Having grown up in several states as a Marine’s son, he earned an undergraduate degree in physics from Iowa State University and a PhD in biophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lindon did post-doctoral research focused on thrombosis and hemostasis at a Harvard-affiliated hospital, published papers in scientific journals, earned numerous patents, and lectured worldwide.
 
In 1988, he joined the private sector at Baxter Healthcare to help develop materials compatible with blood for medical devices. He moved to Georgia in 1994 for a similar job at Kimberly-Clark, working there through his retirement in 2009. Lindon also mentored chemistry students at Kennesaw State University.
 
Lindon may be best known in Milton for his tireless environmental advocacy and actions. As the co-chair of the City-affiliated Milton Grows Green committee (founded in 2008, less than two years after the City’s incorporation), he and fellow volunteers strove “to research and advance innovative, collaborative solutions to Milton’s environmental challenges,” protect greenspace and other natural resources, and support other green initiatives. MGG, as the group was called, presented ideas to City leaders to consider adopting. Their members (along with other volunteers) also had a vital, hands-on role in many initiatives such as Earth Day celebrations; special opportunities for the green repurposing of household chemicals, paint and other hard-to-recycle items; Rivers Alive, an annual volunteer waterway cleanup event in Georgia; “Bring One for the Chipper” events for the recycling of Milton Christmas trees; and more.
 
The Atlanta Regional Commission gave Milton Goes Green its “Create Winner” award in its Community Building and Involvement category in 2008. Five years later, the City of Milton honored Jack and Francia Lindon (his wife of 51 years) as its Volunteers of the Year.  In addition to environmental causes, Lindon was active in other City efforts such as being a “Core Member” of the Highway 9/Georgia 400 area master plan/Livable Centers Initiative study.
 
Lindon passed away in January. A memorial service is being planned for sometime this spring. According to the Lindon family, those wishing to honor Jack’s memory are encouraged to donate in his name to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Earthjustice, or Furkids. 
 
“Jack Lindon cared deeply about our city and our planet – and he never stopped trying to make a positive impact for generations to come,” said Mayor Peyton Jamison. “Milton is better because of him.”

This press release was produced by the City of Milton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.