Lindeman, Jesse George (1899-1992)

LINDEMAN, BOSECK, LAMPHERS, CHRISTOFF, MARTIN, HAUFF, GAMMELL

Posted By: Chuck Gerlach (email)
Date: 3/30/2005 at 23:43:27

Jesse G. Lindeman, age 92, of Yakima passed away on September 10, 1992.

He was born October 12, 1899 on a small farm in Cass County, Iowa to Joseph and Elizabeth (Boseck) Lindeman. He attended county schools there through the eigth grade.

In the Fall of 1918, during WW1, he joined the Air Service of the US Army. In 1919, he returned to civilian life and moved to Yakima, WA where he was employed by Rovig Lumber Co. In 1922, he and two brothers, Harry and Ross Lindeman, purchased the implement parts of that business and formed their own company, Lindeman Power Equipment Co. In 1924, Jesse G. Lindeman married Jane Omega Tufts in Yakima, WA. In 1925, the brothers acquired dealerships for Cletrac, Mack Truck, Holt Tractors and a spray pump and this business was relocated to Walnut and First St. In 1929, the company moved again, to South Third Street into a plant built especially for this type of business, where anoher brother Joe Lindeman joined them a few years later. The business was greatly expanded over the next few years for the manufacturing of tractors and implements, and the company employed 428 people. The company manufactured several different parts for the US Navy during WWll. In 1947, the business was sold to John Deere & Co. and operated as John Deere Yakima Works until 1954. Later Jesse and Joe Lindeman started Northwest Equipment Co. which became a major builder of rotary tillers and special equipment for fruit handling. It operated from 1954 to 1982 when the business was sold, In 1985, a smaller factory, Lindex Co. Inc., located on South First Street, was formed for the manufaturing of 3 Point Hitches and Power Take Off Units for Crawler Tractors. This company is still in operation today.

Jesse was an early member of the American Legion, The Gyro Club, Elks Lodge and Yakima Country Club. He served two years as president of the Yakima Chamber of Commerce in 1955 and 1956. He was preceded in death by his father in 1959 and his mother in 1962; his brother Harry in 1930; his brother Ross in 1948; his brother Joe in 1982; and his beloved wife in 1987. He is survived by his sons, Bruce Lindeman, of Yakima, Bill Lindeman of Port Townsend, WA; and daughter, Betsy Lindeman Gammell, of Alameda, CA; a sister Alice Downs of San Diego, CA; 7 grandchildren; 1 great grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

Shaw and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arraingments. At Jesse G. Lindemans request, there will be no public services. Memorials may be made to the Yakima Valley Museum.

Obit appeared in the Yakima Herald Republic on Sept. 11, 1992.