Linda was born in Des Moines, Iowa, into a close-knit family of six children. Her father, Donald, had recently returned from World War II and was finishing his residency in internal medicine, while her mother, Wilma Jean, an Iowa farm girl with a love for theatre, focused on raising their growing family.
Summers were spent at Linda’s grandmother’s lake home on Lake Okoboji, where busy days were filled with swimming, games like capture the flag, and friendships with other families who gathered there each year. After joining the yacht club in 1956, Linda crewed for her brother and later became a skipper herself, nurturing a lifelong love of activity and community.
In school, Linda was shy but strong in math and kept the same close friends from kindergarten through high school. She attended the University of Denver, majoring in business with a focus on marketing and finance, and found a supportive home in the Pi Beta Phi sorority, where she formed lasting friendships.
As an adult, Linda turned to running to manage stress and stay connected with others. After moving to Minneapolis in 1981, she ran extensively, winning in her age category at a Lake Okoboji race at age 30. Over time, she completed 35 marathons, including Boston, London, Athens, and the Great Wall of China, as well as 250-mile relay races.
Linda worked for many years as a massage therapist at Lifetime Fitness and as a principal secretary in the University of Minnesota’s women’s athletics department. She has also been active in meditation groups and retreats. Despite facing depression, multiple cancer diagnoses, major surgery, and the loss of both parents, Linda remains resilient and engaged. Today, she uses a walker but enjoys plays, movies, shopping—especially thrift and antique stores—and hopes to rebuild her strength through walks in nature and shared conversation, especially about running.
