The news that Linda Young had passed away that Tuesday morning left me feeling like I had been punched in the stomach. I should have prepared, having just learned the night before that she was at home in hospice, but I had stubbornly held on to the idea that she would be healed, and now reality hit me. It felt surreal, as I began to receive texts, emails, and phone calls from people near and far. I couldn’t help but notice how many people used the words “our Linda” when relaying the sad news.
Linda was “our” Linda and lovingly given that title. She made every person she met feel as though they were the most important person in her life, and she was a true friend to all of us. Linda was welcoming, kind, and loved by so many people, as evidenced by the enormous number of people at her service. As if 30-plus years of teaching weren’t enough to make Linda well-known, add her years of following her children and then grandchildren’s events to include kids and parents who knew her well. At Linda’s service, all of Linda’s grandchildren spoke eloquently of what a special grandmother Linda was and painted a picture for all of us to admire. Ever the teacher, Linda read to Molly, Julia, Kayla, Landry and Aydan so much that each of their favorite quotes from the treasured books she read to them were included in the service program, showing the everlasting effects of a good book.
