A 70-year-old Addison Township man’s life came to an abrupt end on Saturday after he collided with a wild turkey while riding his motorcycle through Oakland Township.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Norman Linto was riding his 2005 Triumph motorcycle and heading west on Stoney Creek Rd., near Pebble Creek Dr., when he encountered a group of wild turkeys beginning to cross the road.

As Linto got closer, one of the birds attempted to fly and he struck it as he passed. This caused him to lose control of the motorcycle and hit a guardrail, according to the sheriff’s office.

Linto was transported to McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac where he later died as a result of his injuries.

The sheriff’s office stated that Linto was wearing a helmet and other protective clothing at the time of the crash and alcohol does not appear to have been a factor.

Linto was a United States Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War from 1967-68. He was a vehicle mechanic with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade.

During his three years in the army, which included time in Germany, he was awarded the Purple Heart and  the Army Commendation Medal along with the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Linto’s love of country was such that he continued his service after the war by enlisting in the National Guard in 1982 and again in 2001 following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

He was an active member of American Legion Post 108 and the American Legion Riders a motorcycle group.

“Quiet” was the word that immediately sprang from people’s lips when asked to describe Linto. But, just because he was quiet, doesn’t mean he was aloof. Far from it.

In Linto’s obituary, his family described him as “generous, creative, quirky, hard-working and passionate.”

James Sergeant, a fellow Legion Rider, fondly recalled chatting with Linto during Post 108’s Friday night fish fries.

“I always enjoyed sitting with the guy,” he said. “You never saw anybody sitting with him, (so) to be  invited to his table, I thought, was quite an honor. I always enjoyed his company. He was always very down to earth.”

Sandy Sergeant, treasurer of the Legion Riders, said Linto had “a real humorous side” and “he liked to play jokes.” She also recalled how much Linto loved his family.

“He talked about his grandkids all the time,” said Sandy, who noted the night before Linto died, he told her about his plans to put a zip line in his yard for them, then asked her not to tell his wife Rose Mary, who goes by Penny.

Linto and his wife were married in 1971

Jim Parkhurst, a longtime member of Post 108, said Linto was “a good-hearted guy” who was “always there” to lend “a helping hand.”

“He had just volunteered to help the (Legion) Auxiliary plant flowers outside the post,” he said.

Sandy Sergeant agreed.

“He’d do whatever needed to be done around the post if he could help,” she said.

According to Parkhurst, Linto was a member of the Legion’s honor guard and often visited schools to share his military experiences with students and answer their questions.

Linto was frequently spotted in local parades driving the World War II-era army jeep he had painstakingly restored. James Sergeant described the 1943 Ford GPW jeep’s condition as “immaculate.”

“Everything about it was perfect,” he said. “He was meticulous in everything that he did.”

That’s not surprising considering Linto spent 34 years working as an industrial engineer at General Motors.

Linto’s time in Vietnam caused him to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He was open about his struggle with it and the steps he took to prevent the disorder from getting the best of him.

In a 2012 interview with the Leader, he explained how PTSD “creeps up on you” and he never knew what was going to trigger it.

“It’s always in the shadows,” Linto said. “That stuff never goes away. It’s always in your back pocket. Sometimes you pull your wallet out and it comes out with it.”

Linto’s religious faith was a great source of comfort to him, according to Sandy Sergeant. She said he frequently attended Mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Orion.

In 2012, Linto visited RLM Industries in Oxford to thank the employees there for the stainless-steel Christian crosses they were making for veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. Linto received one of these crosses while being treated in Chicago. He cherished it.

“I wear it every day. It gives me peace,” he told the Leader.

Linto is survived by his wife Penny, children Kerri (Christian) Smith, of State College, Pennsylvania, and Bowen (Adrienne) Linto, of Mt. Pleasant, and four grandchildren – Hunter, 11, Conner, 8, Kelsie, 8, and Gideon, 5. He’s also survived by siblings Linda Johnson, Roger Linto and Brett Linto. He was preceded in death by his parents Leo and Marjorie Ann (MacFarlane) Linto and sister Sherri.

Visitation for Linto will take place on Thursday, April 11 from 2 to 8 p.m. at Lynch and Sons Funeral Directors (39 W. Burdick St.) in Oxford. A Poppy Service conducted by members of Post 108 will begin at 7 p.m.

A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, April 12 at St. Joseph (715 N. Lapeer Rd.). It will begin at 11 a.m. and lunch will be served afterwards at the church. Beginning at 10 a.m. there will be visitation at the church prior to the Mass.