Linda passed away in Salt Lake City, UT on April 25th, 2019, she was born in Vincennes, IN January 25th 1936. A reception for celebration of life will be held at a date to be determined at Franklin Heights Christian Church.
My Mom epitomized what it means to be a great mom. Even in adulthood, she continually worried about me, on up till her last day. Being an only child, I was the center of her attention and she was very proud to dote over me to everyone she knew. If you had the privilege to know her, you know that she was honest, loyal, and stubborn --sometimes to a fault-- but those are the qualities that made her so endearing. To say that she was willful would be an understatement. Once she set her mind to something, you would have a better chance of flying to the moon than to change her mind. A great example of this would be when after smoking for 30 years, she decided to quit… cold turkey. Boy Scouts was a very important organization to her, and she got me involved at an early age. She rolled up her sleeves and was my Cub Scout Leader. Scouting was one of the best experiences of my life and through introducing me to the outdoors, scouting instilled a passion and love for nature that I continue to live out today. Earning my Eagle Scout was a proud moment for Mom.
Mom had a wanderlust and enjoyed traveling immensely. At 70 years of age, she went on the trip of a lifetime, one that she had on her list since childhood, an African Safari. Dad did not fly, so Mom saved and went on her own. She enjoyed that trip with a retired Colonel and many wealthy individuals that were quite impressed with her je ne sais quoi, and with whom she became life-long friends with. She flew out of a small airport in Evansville, Indiana and I can imagine the look on the ticket agents face when he confirmed her finals destination as Arusha Tanzania at her age, alone. I can't imagine that happens every day. She traveled all over the United States, from Alaska to Hawaii- twice, to the Virgin Islands and east to Rhode Island where she enjoyed a visit with her safari friends. She attended the World's Fair in Montreal, saw Niagara Falls and everywhere in between. She loved the National Parks, and together we visited 13 of them; including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Glacier National Park where at 83 years old, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of whitewater rafting. Mom loved the water, she swam for exercise until she was 81, and her ashes will be spread over a beautiful body of water. She taught me how to swim, in contradiction to Dad's wishes. Dad was a farm boy, he never learned to swim and was phobic of deep water, especially of me swimming in it.
Mom loved Vincennes and Lincoln High School along with all her classmates- whom she remembered by name at every class reunion she attended for 63 years, from 1954 to 2016 where only 2 classmates remained. Mom was always insecure about her book smarts, and never attained a college degree. But if you watched her, you wouldn't have known that- she was meticulous and very good with numbers and money. She would've enjoyed being an accountant. As a young lady, Mom desired to be a police officer, back in that time, the only department that hired females was in Los Angeles. She wrote to them and received information but lived in an age where she was ahead of the times and those opportunities were limited due to her being a female. Her education did not come from books, but through life experiences and traveling. Mom loved her records, some of my favorite memories are dancing in the living room with her while we listened to her music from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. I would occasionally make the floor shake and the record would skip, but she never told me to stop dancing. One of her favorite past times was going to a movie. She loved the fast-paced action movies and took me from a young age. I am certain I was probably too young to see some of those movies, but she would always reinforce that it was just entertainment and not real. She was an Al Jolsen aficionado and watched every episode of Law and Order. She made me watch Casa Blanca and to this day, I still think it's the best movie ever made.
Mom had a love for animals and gave financially to help any organization she had information for. When she went to Tanzania the one animal she did not see was the rhinoceros and later confided to me that she was resentful that she had not seen one- and that people should be better caretakers of God's Creations. One of mom's shortcomings was her temper, but in my opinion, it was righteous. That is a trait she passed on to me, along with being competitive. It was always reinforced to me to live my life how I wanted to and not worry what others might think- including my parents, but to be independent. Mom loved her family fiercely; she would have done anything for them. She was a powerful, special person who never let fear or social pressure influence her decisions or the way she chose to live out her life. Mom once said I was a quiet child, I replied that I had two overbearing parents and she agreed this was a true statement. But within my quietness is a confidence that I have been raised and had the opportunity to learn from the best. There are pros and cons to being an only child and I am thankful for the experiences I have had. Mom will continue to live on in what she has taught us, let us carry that wisdom forward and share it.
Life has changed, but has not ended.
