Chip Lindgren

Allen Gustave Lindgren Jr., known to most as Chip, passed away on the morning of March 20th, 2022, after putting up a valiant fight against brain cancer. A husband, father, friend, and entrepreneur, Chip's sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and love of people permeated all of the areas of his life, motivating those closest to him to seize the day and encouraging change and progress that would help all people do the same.

Born on October 15, 1967, Chip was the sixth of seven children of the late Rosemarie and the late Allen G. Lindgren, Sr., and stepson of Suzanne Lindgren. 

A graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst with a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology, Chip later moved to San Diego, California, where he met and married his wife of 27 years, Valerie Quintanilla, a registered nurse. The couple lost their first child, Daly Alexandra Lindgren, to SIDS at three months old in 1999, an experience that inspired them to organize and run the Daly Memorial Golf Tournament, raising money and awareness for SIDS, which they did for 20 years. They had two other children: Faith Kathleen, now 22, and Samuel Joseph, now 20. His biggest priority was always family. He coached his children’s’ soccer, baseball, softball, and basketball teams as they grew up. A lover of travel, Chip prioritized taking his wife Valerie, and his two children Faith and Sam, around the world to experience different cultures.  

Chip worked in the biotech industry as a microbiologist and project manager for several years before venturing out as an entrepreneur. He founded AG Scientific Inc. in 1997 and served as its CEO for 24 years. Using meaningful partnerships, Chip and AG Scientific would make incredible strides in the Life Science marketplace, advancing disease research, biomarker optimization, & diagnostic test development. Chip was known in the biotech world for his personal touch and his expertise in sourcing biochemicals. Chip built his company one relationship at a time, connecting with labs and people all over the world, with over 3, 000 end users and over 3, 100 scientific citations. Before the sale of the company in 2021, Chip was particularly proud of its innovations including most recently contributing to the development of COVID-19 diagnostics and vaccines. He was known by his colleagues as an inspiring leader who empowered employees and gave them opportunities to grow.

Chip learned he had brain cancer in 2001, shortly after the birth of Samuel. He wrote about his diagnosis with oligodendroglioma brain cancer and his experience as one of the first people to have to undergo “awake brain surgery” at UCLA that year. He was able to live a relatively healthy life under the care of his neurosurgeon, Dr. Linda Liau, Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at UCLA. Chip’s brain cancer was slow growing, and over the years he had several surgeries and treatments as the cancer returned. He discussed the genetic aspect of his disease in the 2001 blog and recalled the experiences of his mother, who died at age 52 after a battle with brain cancer when far fewer treatments were available. 

Perhaps the best way is to remember Chip in the small moments: the way he brought his two dogs to work, the bright green Converse he once purchased for all AG Scientific’s employees, the playful photographs on the cards he would send out with his family during the holidays and the sense of humor with which he approached each day. For how Chip was in the small moments is how he was in the large: full of joy, zest for life, and love of family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Chip's memory to:

https://www.uclahealth.org/braintumor/donate-now