Obituary of Orrin Lee SLIND

August 3, 1928 -    Minneapolis, Minnesota

May 17, 2020 - Calgary, Alberta

Orrin Lee Slind, beloved husband of Joann Slind (nee McDowell), passed away on Sunday, May 17, 2020, at the age of 91 years, fittingly, on syttende mai (Norwegian Independence Day).

Lee was born August 3, 1928, in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Dorothy and Orrin Cornelius Slind. His school years gave an early indication of his industriousness, as he combined studies with a large morning paper route and a night shift unloading railroad cars. After graduating high school, he joined the Marines out of a desire to see the world. He served his stint at Subic Bay before returning home and entering the University of Minnesota. His collegiate years were interrupted by the Korean War: recalled to duty, he fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir and received a purple heart. After recovering in Japan, he finished the war out at the US Embassy in Thailand. He then resumed university, graduating with degrees in Geology and Engineering. During his studies, Lee met Joann McDowell, the love of his life. On graduation, he took up a summer job for Shell Oil in Alberta. He fell in love again, this time with the Rockies. 

Fortunately, Shell offered him a permanent job. Lee and Joann married and moved to Calgary in 1954. In the ensuing years, they started a family and Lee’s work took him far and wide, mapping and exploring for oil and gas throughout Alberta, off the West Coast, and in the Arctic. He would eventually attain the rank of Chief Geologist for Shell Canada. In 1971, wanderlust struck, and the family spent three years living in The Hague. Lee’s professional focus was in the Middle East at a very delicate time for the region. The family travelled all over Europe and hosted many visitors keen to see the sights. Then it was back to Calgary where Lee and Joann designed and built a house on acreage near Cochrane, close to their friends, Al and Joyce Chase, and proceeded to live there for the next forty-five years. Leaving Shell for consultancy, Lee continued working well into his eighties. Projects during this time included a long excursion to Nepal, and a major project accumulating and analyzing the geology of East Africa. 

The travel bug took Lee and Joann many places, he knew the West, Canadian and American, in minute detail (Jackson WY was a particular favourite); they visited their children and grandchildren in Singapore, Bolivia, Mexico, Germany, and England; they even stayed in the same Beijing hotel as a handful of Western reporters during the Tiananmen Square protests. When his children were young, they spent summers visiting family in St Paul and hiking and camping in the Rocky Mountains. His favourite place on earth was Jasper, AB — he mapped parts of Jasper Park on horseback early in his career, when that sort of commercial activity was allowed in a national park. The family gathered to celebrate his birthday every year at Tekarra Lodge at the confluence of the Miette and Athabasca rivers. His grandchildren fondly remember bringing him rocks to identify and listening to him explain what the Rocky Mountains were made of and how they were formed. 

Lee made and cherished many friends. The family remembers him enjoying the company of Charlie Bruce, Otto Friedenreich, Gil and Susan Graf, Al Chase, and friends from school days. He joined in lively lunches with the Friends of Otto group at the Danish Canadian Club every Friday for many years. Lee took care of people; colleagues have mentioned this, and his children can attest that he provided generous support through many ups and downs over the years. This was paired with a strong moral voice; he knew what the right thing to do was, and he was not shy about expressing it. (The advice may not have been welcome at the time of issuance, but his wisdom, annoyingly, would inevitably be borne out.)

Besides his loving wife Joann, Lee will be greatly missed by daughter Katherine (George), sons, Christopher (Patricia) and Konrad (Cheryl); and thirteen grandchildren, Jamie, Sarah, Blair, Josh, Madeline, Hannah, Zoe, Virginia, Isabela, Natalie, Sophie, Erin, and Emily. 

Lee is also survived by siblings, Richard L. (Mary) Slind of Woodbury, Minnesota, and Karen L. "Sue" (Leighton) Johnson of Stillwater, Minnesota; brother-in-law Mel (Jan) Soderholm, and numerous nieces and nephews. Lee was predeceased by sons, Douglas and Eric; granddaughter Sarah; and his cousin Susan Stan.

The memorial service will be held at a future date (TBD). Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Orrin’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of Carewest Royal Park for taking such good care of him in his final months.

In living memory of Orrin Lee Slind, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Crowfoot, 82 Crowfoot Circle NW, CALGARY, AB T3G 2T3,   Telephone: 403-241-0044.