Q&A With Wally Lindberg

Meet one of our generous partners who makes our life-saving work possible.

Tell us about yourself and your relationship with animals!

"I grew up around Wrigley Field. I walked to many Cubs games because I am a die-hard Cubs fan. My mother had a white angora, Tallulah (after Ms. Bankhead). There are pictures of the cat in the crib with me when I was a little guy.

We had a bird, a parakeet which we adored…I brought him everywhere in the whole house. But the cat Tallulah was the long-lasting friend. I come from a cat family—all my cousins, all my aunts they all have cats. As long as a cat is in my lap, I'm happy.

I have always had one cat. Growing up we always had one cat, and they got lots of attention. You didn't have to split it between two. My current cat is called 'Kitty'. They've all been called Kitty, every one of them.

Before I retired, I was a pressman: Printers Union Local 458M. I am a firm believer in organized labor. I also owned my own small printing company for 34 years. 2021 is my 45th year as a vegetarian (30th as a vegan), and I was one of the founders of the Chicago Vegetarian Society."

What brought you to Tree House?

"Probably it was Judy Grossman [a long-time TH volunteer and partner] who informed me and others in the CVS about Tree House. We did two tours of TH, at the Carmen Street house. [As I toured the TH location] I got to thinking: These buildings cost money, where does it come from? I got to thinking: I could make a good donation. When you're [gone, your estate,] it's all got to be dissolved. My lawyer said to me [about my estate planning], 'You do know that if you are gone, it all goes to cat shelters? I said, I do know!'

Kitties are dependent on humans for their well-being. And I tell you they can depend on me. You just ask my Kitty, I'm hovering over that guy all the time. I watch him so closely. Especially as he ages, he's had some troubles, but when there's troubles I'm there to take him to the vet. My first kitty, I got him from a good friend. They found him thrown away in Tennessee, and they picked him up and drove him all the way to me. I gave him a home and loved him, he lived about seven years.

Anybody who knows me knows how much I love kitties, especially if they've been in my house. Every room has artwork of kitties. I just love animals in general. Kitties are dependent, and they can depend on me."

What would you say to others who want to leave a legacy?

"If they have resources to give, I would encourage people to give them to animal shelters that are dependent on people's donations to keep a roof over [animals'] heads and food in their bellies.

With my parents' estate, I ended up with it all. These animals in the future, that's what matters.

That table that my cats are sitting on in the picture, it's Italian marble and black walnut, and was made by my grandfather. He was a furniture craftsman here in Chicago. It's a family heirloom. If my house catches fire, I'm grabbing two things: Kitty, and that table. Then I'll put vegan marshmallows on a stick and watch it all go. As long as I have my cat."