When Samuel Linden migrated to the United States, he brought his Swedish traditions with him.
Shortly after arriving in Atlanta, he and others co-founded the Vasa Order of America's Nordic Lodge #708 and the Scandinavian Festival. He served as a Swedish envoy during the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta. For that, he received a medallion from the King of Sweden.
He sang, too, as a member of the Drangar men's choir, founded by Goran Rygert of east Cobb.
"I think he was a very important link to the Swedish community," Mr. Rygert said. "He was always there for people, helping out in a lot of different ways. That was the kind of person he was."
On Friday, Mr. Linden died from complications of prostate cancer at DeKalb Medical Center. He was 72. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sept. 18 at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Stone Mountain. Crowell Brothers Funeral Home in Norcross is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Linden grew up in Hallstahammar, Sweden, and graduated with a civil engineering degree from the Stockholm Institute of Technology. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1966, settling with relatives in Los Angeles, Calif.
There, he attended UCLA, where he studied structural engineering. He met Barbro Elizabeth Lingstrom, a native of Filipstad, Sweden, at a Swedish church in California. They wed in the late 1960s.
In 1974, the couple moved to Atlanta, where he worked as a chief engineer for Western Concrete Structures before starting two construction and engineering firms.
In 1983, Illinois-based Ceco Corp., acquired two of Mr. Linden's businesses: Linga Fabrications Inc. and Linden Engineering Enterprises Inc., to form a new subsidiary. He stayed on to run Linden Post-Tensioning Corp. He retired last year.
Mr. Linden was known for his generous ways and helping hand. Laurie Fulton of Douglasville met the Lindens nearly 40 years ago. When she moved to Atlanta, the lodge had just been formed. She was just 23, but despite her youth, the Lindens invited her to take part.
"My family was very Swedish-oriented, so I was used to that connection," she said. "When I found out about the lodge, they invited me to participate and be with them. He was very warm and welcoming. They hosted many events at their home and through his connections visiting Swedish dignitaries attended many of them."
Every August, the Lindens hosted a crayfish party at home. Mr. Linden couldn't hold the event this year because of his illness, said his son, Charles Linden of Peachtree Corners.
"Even though he had been in the United States for some time, it was important for him to be able to keep traditions alive, and actually be with other Swedes," his son said. "He loved it."
In addition to his wife and son, survivors include two brothers, David Linden of Stockholm, Sweden, and Daniel Linden of Falkenberg, Sweden; three sisters, Irma Linden of Fagersta, Sweden; Miriam Linden of Vastervik, Sweden; Veronica Linden of Stockholm, Sweden; and one step-grandchild.
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