David A. Lundahl, 52, of Des Plaines, a Union Pacific Railroad engineer, died of a heart attack Tuesday, Jan. 2, in Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Mr. Lundahl was born and raised on Chicago’s North Side. He spent the last 35 years as a railroad engineer, driving both freight and passenger trains for Union Pacific and the Chicago & North Western Railway. In his spare time, Mr. Lundahl learned to scuba dive and was a longtime volunteer with Alcoholics Anonymous in Chicago. Over the last several years, Mr. Lundahl became interested in motorcycles and participated in the Toys for Tots Ride in Chicago. “He was a big bear of a guy who filled up the room with his presence,” said his friend and co-worker Michael Johnson. “He was a great guy to have around and he was very generous and a gentle man.” Other survivors include a son, Eric; a daughter, Deborah Hoover; his mother, Merle; a sister, Diane LaCombe; and two grandchildren. A service will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Oehler Funeral Home, 555 Lee St., Des Plaines.
