Gary E. Lindstrom, a cherished member of the University of Utah’s School of Computing faculty for 30 years whose research pushed the boundaries of data management and verification, passed away Jan. 10 at his Salt Lake City home. He had just turned 78 two days earlier.

Lindstrom was born Jan. 8, 1944, in Syracuse, New York, fourth child of Einar and Anita Lindstrom. He attended Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh where he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mathematics and a Ph.D. in computer science.

Lindstrom started his academic career as an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Pittsburgh in 1970. During that time, he also was a Visiting Scientist with the University of Grenoble, the Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique, both in France, and at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at MIT.

He joined the University of Utah as an associate professor of computer science in 1977 and was named professor in 1987. He was appointed the department’s associate chair from 1992 to 1993. He retired from the university in 2007.

Lindstrom served as an IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Visitor and was awarded the University of Utah College of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award. He retired as Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Parallel Programming, and co-edited the book Logic Programming: Functions, Relations and Equations. His research has been supported by NSF, ARPA, ONR, and industrial sponsors MCC, IBM, Xerox, NCR and L. M. Ericsson. He served on the NSF Computer and Computation Research Advisory Committee and as a consultant to the United Nations Development Programme in 1988. He was also chair of the School of Computing’s Organick Memorial Lecture Series.

During his years with the U, his research focused on programming language design, specification and implementation, with special emphasis on the programming aspects of parallel and distributed systems.

Outside of work, Lindstrom was an avid restorer and collector of British sports cars from the 1950s and ’60s, and some of the cars he worked on can be viewed here. He also loved running river rafting expeditions and traveling abroad, according to a family memorial.

A celebration of his life will be held at a date to be determined. Arrangements are being conducted by Starks Funeral Parlor. Friends can share memories and photos with his family and view future service details at www.starksfuneral.com.