Linda and I were best friends all through grade school and into junior high before my family and I moved out of state. She lives in my heart with all the joy, love, and sense of adventure that was her. Some memories …

It was a cold snowy, wintery day but school wasn’t closed. Linda and I, defying what we deemed a really silly rule that girls couldn’t wear pants, wore pants to school under our dresses. We, of course, were sent home. We considered it a moment of triumph. 

Linda’s dad built a boat that was parked along the side of their driveway. We had many wonderful sleepovers sleeping in the boat pretending we were at sea and telling each other stories. 

Linda was a great athlete. We spent so many summer nights playing softball until it was so dark we could barely see the ball. But still playing on.

When we weren’t playing softball, we’d ride our bikes to Waverly Park and swim as long as we could. The freedom we had to entertain ourselves for days on end was precious. We didn’t know it was precious at the time. We just knew the fun we had.

Linda was a wonderful friend. Someone to confide in. Someone to have adventures with. Someone to create lifelong memories with. 

If we are blessed, we have friends that are family. Friends that endure throughout the peaks and valleys that shape our lives. 

Our family and the Swanbergs lived on Second Street in Kirkland. We were part of that nostalgic era of playing in the street until dusk and traveling between each others houses as if they were extensions of our own. Linda was closest to my oldest sister Carolyn's age and they were fast friends. Our Mom's were very close and Linda's Dad, Ray worked within our family business. We moved away from Second Street around the time Linda and Carolyn were entering high school. As young as we all were, we had lived a lot already and had experiences that forged a lifelong bond.  

As happens when separated by time and distance, face-to-face chats and communication in general became sporadic. But, what also happens with people such as Linda is that the the bond remains unbroken.  This has been so true over the decades. Whenever, I would pass through Kirkland, I would always make a point to drive down Second Street and, without notice, walk up to the back door of Linda's childhood home where her Mom, Maureen would welcome me in with a warm hug and without fail would exclaim, "I've got to phone Linda!" 

Whether it had been a year or a decade, without fail, Linda would come over and make me feel like I was a long lost brother returning from afar. Her sincere joy and light shone as we would catch up on family, gossip, and all the rest as if no time had passed.  We could talk about history and stories that no one else knew. It was the warm embrace of family.   

I last saw Linda at her Mom's farewell house party. It was the same Linda I had seen so many times before and the Linda I knew from my childhood. Her essence of kindness and joy were such a comfort to everyone... even as she was saying 'good-bye' to a house that had meant so much to her (and to all of us).

I was shocked and saddened to learn of Linda's passing but am so grateful for her lifelong friendship.  

Jamie Turner

I met Linda from Dream Turf over 20 years ago and we connected right away. I wanted to be around her from the moment we met. Linda had this big beautiful smile and she shared her heart with passion. After finding out Linda had cancer and learning her diagnosis she had such an amazing fighting spirit. Watching Linda battle her cancer with such grace and dignity helped me tremendously through my own battle of cancer. Linda’s family meant everything to her. She glowed every time she talked them. Thank you for your wonderful friendship Linda. And thank you for always being there for me. I will love you always and forever ♾  Love, Karen 

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